


Hope

by Yumi



Series: Otromorph [1]
Category: Alien Series
Genre: Alien Biology, Alien Sex, Bestiality, Character Death, Dubious Consent, Empath, Fictional Locations, M/M, Made up places, Mpreg, Original Character Death(s), Other, Science Fiction, Tragedy, Twisted and Fluffy Feelings, Xenophilia, dont regret, inaccurate information maybe, not regretting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-24
Updated: 2017-09-13
Packaged: 2018-10-09 22:46:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 13
Words: 38,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10423503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yumi/pseuds/Yumi
Summary: As a high functioning empath, Arius was requested to aid lead scientist Delgado of Espera Military Base. Without sight, he could only build his 'doctor-patient' relationship through emotions and a 6-inch wall. But things can get a little chaotic when you find out the one you're becoming attached to is an eight foot alien that possesses a nasty bite.Please read tags. Death. The cute sounding summary doesn't make the story, so be warned. Read at your own risk!





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Curbing itching fingers for some Xeno-related stuff.

Drones worked closely with the queen. They protected the clutch and did short-distanced excursions to ensure the nest was safe. They took care of the eggs when the young hatched, they ensured that their prey could not escape their fate as carriers. Their smaller sizes allowed mobility to weave through the cracks of their surroundings, and they could sneak around easily.

Warriors aided the drones and worked together closely. They were physically stronger, but lacked a little in speed because of their bulk. In times of defence, drones would guard the eggs and Queen. Warriors took the front lines and fought to their last breath. They sacrificed themselves first before the drones came in with numbers.

But _he_ was different. He had the benefits of both the drones and warriors - stronger, faster, _smarter_. That allowed him to be capable enough for travels far from the nest. He’d search for more prey, enemy nests or newer grounds. He’d lead his clan into battles to win several others. He was held in high regard even by the Queen; he awaited the day he became stronger that the Queen’s guards. In the meantime, he did what he did best – he scouted, putting himself in the dangers of the unknown outside of the nest.

* * *

 

It had been a single mistake. Curiosity made him fall into a trap. He had been following a scent trail of another life form, to which he hoped could lead to more. It was his task to identify said life form, and coin it prey or predator.

He hadn’t expected an object to fall from the sky when a loud noise sounded nearby. Now, he struggled against a heavy criss-crossing object… no, it wasn’t because it was heavy. It seemed to be attached to the ground, judging by the way it would not give as he tried to stand. It fell on top of him from the sky all of a sudden, and the impact forced him on his side. His current position disallowed him to muster the strength to get up.

He screeched, but being far from the nest the chances of others his kind being around was low. Qualified scouts like him were low in numbers to begin with. Even the Queen could not be heard because of the distance. He was well and truly on his own this time.

He had only himself to depend on. He tried to break the object with his inner jaw, but it kept missing the thinly object holding him captive. He snapped, struggled and clawed, but to no avail. Whatever was keeping him down was effective, and he broke into an irritated hiss when he saw the cause of this.

The species was small, about three quarters of his size. They stood on two legs like he did. He knew of these beings. He had heard of their ferocity from the Queen, but only when they held foreign objects in their hands. Without it, they were easy prey; perfect carriers.

Sounds erupted from the smaller creatures. They seemed to be conversing. Naturally, he could not understand, because his species used a different form of communication. Gestures, vocalisation, stances… However, the weird sounds they were making would not allow him to know their intentions

There must be a reason why they had yet to kill him. Perhaps they were deciding what to do with him? Capture him the same way his kind would do and leave him for some other motive? If that was the case…

His tail slipped out between the gaps of the criss-crossed object pinning him. Even if he couldn’t move his main body, his tail was just as deadly. The dexterity of his extra appendage was his weapon, and he gave a satisfied hiss when the sharp end of his tail pierced through the soft flesh of the lesser beings. Those that were alive made loud noises, and in return he screeched to threaten.

His tail swished dangerously, and none of the other species dared to approach. They had the dangerous objects in their hands, but they weren’t doing anything to hurt him. He understood right away that they wanted him alive. It would be his advantage, because he didn’t need any of them alive to escape.

The small creatures were scared; he could tell by their stances. Even though he was trapped, his flaying tail alone made them hesitate to approach him. He would be safe, for now. He would tire eventually, but he would have more time to figure out how to escape, or hold out long as he could. Await another of his kind to pass by who would attack these beings without hesitation. He screeched to try his luck again, but it did not seem to sit well with the beings. They started to shift aside, and one more came into his sight.

This one was white, alike the object that fell from the sky every chilly other season where his clan would sleep. It was almost blinding, seeing as he was equipped for poor lighting. His sense of smell picked up something foul, and he drew his lips back in a warning hiss. His tail attempted to stab in the direction that the being approached, but it kept its distance fair from him. In its hand was another dangerous object and he froze.

Was this the leader to their clan, perhaps the one who would kill him, then? So be it, then. It was his mistake for being caught by an enemy. Death was a reasonable punishment. He managed a final screech just as something embedded on his arm.

Darkness washed over him, and he felt sleepy instead of pain. A soft hiss escaped his open jaw as his entire body went slack. His heavy head fell to the dusty ground, as did his flaccid tail. Whatever the small creature has done was forcing him into sleep, and he couldn’t help but feel anxious about it.

Eventually, his mind blanked, but not without the determination of killing the lesser beings. Especially the one in white.

 


	2. Arius

Arius took a deep breath of clean oxygen after exiting the decontamination room. The sudden burst of gaseous aerosol had startled him greatly, as well as the cold air that licked any exposed skin of his, namely the face. It left a weird tingling sensation, as if someone has decided to slap and drag a wet tissue across just to leave the residue to fester. He wiped his cheek with the back of his hand, mildly disgusted by what was indeed condensed sterilised liquid.

When he stepped out, he was immediately led by a hand gripped roughly around his elbow. Arius had nearly stumbled, and he let out a soft sigh. These people have got to remember his disability.

As much as he would love to adhere to their pace, he couldn’t. Not when the lack of sight, coupled with the fact that he was thrown into an unfamiliar place, disallowed him to. An abnormality during his neonatal period was the cause of his blindness. He’d live his days without knowing what anything truly looked like, only able to map people and objects by touch. It was fine, though. His lack of vision was made up in other senses.

His hearing was acute, sharper than anyone he knew, and he could even pick up frequencies outside the normal human range. It irritated him when he was a child, and he would cry out of the blue. It was only after a visit to otologist did he understand why he could hear the sharp noises.

His sense of smell was also fantastic, though he felt he could do without it. Well, evolution and its mysterious wonders.

Last but not least, the one trait that was also the reason for his presence at Espera’s secret military base, was his ability as a high functioning empath. It was both a gift and a bane.

_The man who appeared at his doorstep introduced himself as Delgado. No other name, just Delgado. Arius knew that two other men flanking Delgado was military, identified from the heavy crunching of boots. They reeked a little of typical manly odour, attributed to sweat and musky clothing. He let them in when Delgado said he came with private military affairs, and a request._

“ _We need you to communicate with our… prisoner,” Delgado started once he sat on the couch._

_Arius nursed the cup of tea in his hand as he sat in the single-seater just left of the visitor. He was a naturally cautious person, especially when all he could sense now was the man before him trying to take control of the situation at hand._

“ _What sort of prisoner? Spy?” The brunette questioned._

“ _Classified information cannot be revealed unless you agree to our terms and conditions.”_

Of course _. He had momentarily forgotten that they were military. They were full of ‘classified information’. Who knew what happened behind the closed metal doors. Who wouldn’t be curious, though?_

“ _All that I can reveal now is that our prisoner is void of all speaking ability, and that is why we have come to seek your services.”_

_Arius had a feeling that the man wouldn’t leave without ‘yes’ for an answer. Delgado seemed like a pushy guy who always got what he wanted, and if Arius had his sight the presence of the two military men were just to intimidate him into accepting._

_Arius digested the situation as effectively as he could. They wanted him, an empath, to ‘communicate’ with the prisoner. If he was a foreigner, they would have simply gotten a translator. A beating or two would surely break the prisoner into spilling. However, maybe, just maybe, this prisoner was mute? Had his tongue cut off?_

“ _You’re hoping that I can convince him at an emotional level,” Arius concluded._

“ _That is right. I’m starting to believe your so-called ability isn’t just for show,” Delgado gave a clap of a hand that made Arius flinch a second. If he could, he’d roll his eyes but they never existed. “Your looks ain’t half bad either.”_

“ _Thank you for the compliment,” Arius replied, more for the former than the latter. He would never know what he looked like anyway. He took a sip of his tea, thinking for a moment._

“ _Would you give me a day’s time to decide?”_

“ _No problem with that. Should you wish to join, your time and assistance would be compensated for, of course. I believe you have a debt to pay off? We’re more than happy to assist in that.”_

_Arius knew he visibly stiffened. He should’ve seen that coming. It was no surprise that they would do a thorough background check on him, family included. In a nutshell, his father had incurred something unfavourable. While he was able to pay for it in smaller amounts before, the demands had gotten bigger recently, and he was evidently struggling to pay through his nose._

Sly _was the only word he could think of right now. He was tempted, no doubt. He was only human after all. The thought of finally being able to be free of monetary issues was pleasing, and all he had to do was communicate with a mute prisoner, right? He’d be in a military base with armed personnel; no harm would come to him._

_Placing his cup of tea on the table, Arius took a deep breath through his nose and nodded._

“O’Klein? Arius?” A voice called out and said person turned to face the direction of who had just spoken. He vaguely remembered the voice, but he couldn’t quite put a finger to it. “Oh man, it really is you! It’s been a while! It’s me, Henderson Oakley.”

Henderson Oakley. University classmate. He remembered Oakley to be a large guy, almost jock-like. However, he was a closet-case in the manner that the big, toned guy actually loved romance books and cliché chick films. He had a big heart, helping anyone that crossed his path, and Arius was no exception. In fact, he received a big amount of help from Oakley, considering they had four out of five classes together. The big guy had been patient when they studied together, reading out loud and discussing stuff together. Oakley was almost a best friend to him.

They separated after graduation. Oakley joined the special ops, and unfortunately Arius received no contact after. He thought Oakley might have been transferred out of the country, but meeting him again proved otherwise.

“It’s been a while,” Arius replied with a smile on his face. He was about to approach his friend when his elbow was roughly tugged, redirecting his attention.

"Hey, save the chit chat for later", the escort snapped. The guy was impatient, clearly unhappy that he was stuck with babysitting the blind. Arius picked up nervousness as well, and he wondered why.

"I'll find ya after," Oakley whispered in promise, knowing Arius could hear him despite the noise around them. The brunette nodded in return, before being dragged off to wherever.

As they walked through hallways, he made a mental map of where they were heading. Entry had been relatively simple - a few turns, the decontamination room, and more walking after.

He'd take note of how his footsteps echoed. It indicated the amount of space surrounding him. He'd pay attention to the hisses of the futuristic doors caused by the difference in air pressure of the underground base (the sunlight kissing his skin went away ten minutes prior to the parking of the vehicle). He'd evaluate the surrounding atmosphere based on the people that he passed. So far it had been calm, idle chatter existing in the far background. He passed a training room at some point, with audible grunting and heavy skin on skin contact like a punch or kick.

Arius was stopped eventually and a door hissed open. His escort grumpily told him to enter. He did, but not without a small trip to the raised door frame he obviously couldn’t see. He scowled a little at how the escort had not warned him about it, and collected himself as the door shut behind him.

It was relatively quiet, save the soft beeping of machinery that reminded him of a hospital. His hand reached out to his left and came in contact with the cold steel wall. It felt heavily reinforced, and his heartrate accelerated involuntarily.

At that moment, Arius half expected have entered the room holding the prisoner, but the thought was caste out quickly when he heard Delgardo welcome him into ‘his humble lair’. There was a creak of a chair, and footsteps indicated the man's approach.

"Glad you could join us." A hand grasping his shoulder directed his path deeper into the room. Arius was rather thankful that the floor was relatively even, minus some ridges that he could feel catching under the sole of his shoes.

Delgado’s grip was strong, meaning he was more than just the scientist Arius thought he was. A skinny, glasses-wearing nerd wouldn't possess such a firm, intimidating hold. While a scientist, Delgado undoubtedly had military blood and experience. Someone with both brawn and brain would always be dangerous.

It took him a moment to digest the words Delgado said as he was being steered a few steps forward. “Us”. That meant the prisoner was somewhere near them. He couldn't quite hear a secondary movement, so perhaps the prisoner wasn't here after all.

"Let me reintroduce myself: I am Delgado, lead scientist of Espera's military base. My current project resides around abstracting information and learning the ways of the specimen I've obtained after years of planning and observation." Delgado released the hand on Arius' shoulder.

Odd that he called a prisoner ‘specimen’.

"I'm an empath, not a telepath," Arius chose to remind the scientist.

"I am aware," Delgado snorted a little. He departed from Arius’ side and walked over to the farther end of the room, and was clicking some buttons.

"I am about to introduce to you your patient for the rest of your stay here. He's... feisty, so we cannot allow a face-to-face session. Not yet. We're expecting you to establish… basic communication, so to speak, with him behind the safety of a reinforced isolation ward."

 _This prisoner must be extremely dangerous_ , Arius thought to himself. Just who in the world was he supposed to be trying to talk to, and what the hell had he just thrown himself into.

"You're asking me to empathise with someone behind a wall," Arius said flatly, almost annoyed.

His ability worked best when he was close to the individual. Touch would help even more. More than that, he needed words; a voice. Arius could understand one better through the tone used. A mute prisoner was challenging enough, but now he had to try to connect with someone through a barrier? Delgado was asking for the impossible at this point.

"We shall see," Delgado replied. A few more clicks, and the wall to the left of Arius groaned as it elevated into the ceiling, revealing a dimly lit room.

* * *

 

For Delgado, he was prouder than a man who had just became a father. To be able to subdue one of the most dangerous extra-terrestrial creatures to exist, where a single one could easily take out an army of trained men. He accomplished what other scientists couldn't; he brought back a live, functioning Xenomorph XX121 specimen.

Years of being in the safety of an aerial-docked spaceship allowed him to observe the Xenomorph nest on LV-332, and the habits of its inhabitants. Most clustered within a few clicks of the entrances, ready to defend the nest where needed. However there was a small handful of Xenomorphs, around ten or so, which would wander extremely far from the safety of home.

Delgado dubbed them as 'scouts', one category of Xenomorphs that would travel longer distances in search of resources. It took months of mapping out the scouts' patterns, and planned his execution carefully to capture another scout to bring it back to Meteora alive.

'Another', because the previous ones captured did not make it through the cryofreeze process. The optimum temperature for cryofreezing seemed to differ between the Xenomorphs, and they finally got one that did not die after the trial thawing.

Casualty was kept to the minimum during the capture; the one man who was struck through the chest by the dangerous barbed tail was given the rightful death service, not that it really mattered to him. All that was running through Delgado's head was the success of subduing and housing a live Xenomorph back on Meteroa forty-two light years away.

Now back on his home planet Meteora, inside Espera Military Base the Xenomorph was placed in the isolation ward of fifteen by fifteen with three reinforced walls. Dissection of prior dead Xenomorphs allowed Delgado to create a pseudo-material that coated the inner walls, capable of neutralising the Xenomorph's highly acidic blood to a certain extent. The thick six-inch mirror could be switched out of one-way. However, Delgado experienced the reaction of a trapped Xenomorph first hand when it decided to charge head on against the mirror when it could see him. He never switched off the one-way ever since.

The only hindering factor preventing his further studies was the severe aggression of the alien. He could drug it, of course, but it defeated the purpose. He wanted to interact with the Xenomorph; possess it, and make it bend to his will. And for that, he needed someone who may have a chance at controlling it.

Enter Arius O’Klein. Aged twenty-five, graduated from Esperan University at twenty-three. Lived on his own in a small house off Prince Street 5, and a highly independent individual. Currently working as an assistant to the head psychologist in a simple clinic. He was well-known within the small town of Yeville for being a high-functioning empath, and was favoured by many. The only draw-back was his lack of sight, but at this point, it didn't seem like a drawback at all. The man's blindness meant he couldn’t tell what he was dealing with exactly, and Delgado wouldn't have it any other way.

Roping the man in was easy as taking candy from a baby - his father had a debt that was taking too long to settle. The situation would only worsen unless O’Klein had more money in his pocket, but he didn’t. What better way to entice him than to offer to clear the debt once and for all?

Delgado paused, his attention shifting to the content of the room through a stained glass. It took a moment to find out where the Xenomorph was, and it was crouching in a corner, tail curled around itself. It reminded him of a cat, frankly. He would’ve thought it cute, if it weren’t for the dangerous tip of the long appendage.

It must’ve known that it was being observed, because its lips pulled back into a silent hiss. The room was soundproof, and he could only observe it visually. His fingers itched to do more. He wanted to control it the same way man would with tigers and lions; order it to do things. To _kill_.

There was a shift in O’Kein’s features. He sensed the secondary presence, and looking into the room, the Xenomorph seemed to have too. Slowly, but surely, O’Klein stepped towards the direction of the glass, careful with his steps lest he tripped. A single hand was stretched out before him, searching for a contact point. In one and a half steps he was right before the glass, fingers splayed on the cold surface. He completed his approach with one more step, and his jaw slacked a fraction.

The Xenomorph unfurled itself, taking its first two strides on all fours. It rose up after, towering O’Klein behind the glass. It was calm, non-threatening as it tilted its head. Delgado made a quick check the panels of buttons. So far, the setting of the mirror was one-way, meaning the Xenomorph would only see a mild reflection of itself at best. The image of O’Klein should be shrouded by the black screen.

It was slow and almost agonising, but Delgado's face twitched when he saw the Xenomorph inside the room lean forward to lay the crown of its head against where the empath's open palm was.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Xenomorphs a lot.


	3. Spike

_Curiosity._

That was the very emotion he felt after placing his fingers on the glass. Arius couldn't tell if it was his. It truly may have been, but at the same time it felt foreign –different. There were lesser emotions, but they were masked by this in particular. The others were too complicated to describe; too brief to be identified.

He wondered if it was possible for him to be able to 'read' someone through a wall. He had never tried. There was no concrete evidence he could, yet he didn't want to deny that something was happening. He'd never been a skeptic. Anything and everything could happen in his mind. 

Arius shifted his hand, dragging the pads of his digits across the material that seemed to be glass. It felt different from normal glass. It seemed stronger and more durable than most he had come across. He was almost tempted to rap his knuckles just to test the dexterity of the material.

He sensed it again. The same curiosity. It was following him, heightening his senses. His mind searched for more hints to the prisoner's emotions. It was like rummaging a hand in a pocket and not knowing what could be pulled out. 

Over a few seconds, the curiosity seemed to have died and Arius froze when he started picking up something negative. It was a sudden surge of anger and it cut through him like a knife. It wasn't physically painful, but resembled more of a discomfort that ate at his being. 

Arius yelped when there was an audible slam coming from behind the glass. His hand retreated in reflex and he shuffled away. The sound was extremely dull, indicating how thick the glass was because he was sure that the resonance of the force could have shattered a weaker version. It probably felt louder in his ears as his hearing was significantly better.

“Back up!” Delgado barked and Arius heeded. Subsequently, he heard the hissing of mechanisms and he presumed that the steel wall had descended to cover the glass barrier between him and the prisoner. Everything fell silent again, leaving the silence to only be intermittently interrupted by the same soft beeps Arius heard when he first entered Delgado's room.

The brunette's head hung low, conserving his thoughts from when he made some sort of connection with the prisoner. He absently rubbed the pads of his fingers with the thumb of his other hand. He heard Delgado abandon the key panels at the corner. The man had returned to his chair, and was furiously scribbling by the sounds of scratching. It ceased when Arius spoke.

"Just how dangerous is he?" The brunette questioned where he stood.

“Dangerous enough,” Delgado sniffed, before continuing his writing.

Arius gave an inaudible sigh. He couldn't help but feel like he was dealing with an animal, and not something remotely human. The feelings he sensed were superficial. There was a complexity in them for sure, but that was only because it was a juvenile mix that disallowed him to properly sort the emotions. He could only pick up the dominant one at any point, and even there it was still hanging on a blurred scale.

“I think you're placing too much faith in my ability in communicating with such a dangerous individual.” The empath paused. He looked back on his previous experience in his profession and carefully mapped out the steps he could take to help the situation. He didn't want to give up just yet.

“Does he have a name? It would be easier if I can get some form of basic information.” Arius wasn't too fond of having to keep calling him 'prisoner'. It was degrading for his tastes despite it being a fact. 

Arius heard the scientist give a loud snort as if he had just pulled a bad joke.

“Well, not really.” A pregnant pause lingered in the air and Arius waited for any follow-up to the conversation. “I guess you could call him Spike?”

This time, it was Arius who wanted to give a snort, but he opted for a mental sigh instead.

It was clear that Delgado saw the prisoner - _Spike_ \- as someone lesser than he was. Or to be exact, he saw himself on a pedestal high above others. Which was fine - Delgado wasn't the first man he had met whose ego was bigger than the fist he could swallow.

“Spike it is,” echoed Arius. It was better than mentally and verbally calling him 'prisoner'. In fact, it puzzled why Delgado had yet to provide him any background information on Spike. Not a name (not until he asked), not an age nor an origin. He had even referred to the latter as 'specimen', which made Arius think carefully of what exactly Spike might have been. It was a rare point in his life where Arius had wished he had his sight.

Although he couldn't see and knew Delgado wasn't watching by the sound of scribbling, he turned to face the wall that covered the isolated room. His thoughts drifted back to the contact between Spike and him. It was interesting because the emotions he was getting from Spike seemed latent, almost slow. As if he took a while to process what was happening before truly reacting to it.

“Can Spike see us?” Arius questioned out loud. He heard Delgado audibly readjust where he sat, and he picked up a hint of nervousness in the air. It was covered up almost immediately, and the man cleared his throat.

“There is a one-way mirror that can be switched off. Why do you ask?”

"This 'Spike'... His mental functionality is almost child-like: slow, messy and inconsistent. Is he even an adult? Is he even _human_?"

"You don't need to know. Just do what you're asked to," Delgado snapped and Arius jumped at the sound of the chair roughly dragging across the floor. Delgado must've rose from it too quickly in apprehension.

Arius gritted his teeth, withholding from speaking further. The last thing he'd want happening now was to anger the scientist and risk being dismissed from the task over a petty matter. Initially, he would've been for the reward, but now that he knew of Spike's existence, he needed to know more. 

_Curiosity._

"I will let you know what you need to know, _when_ you need to." Delgado changed the topic after: "While you're here, I will observe the sessions, naturally. Outside your designated hours, you're free to use the facilities such as the gym or library. An escort will be with you at all times, except for the privacy of your bunker. Just a quick reminder that you are not allowed to speak of anything from here, even with other people within this base." 

Arius gave a nod not knowing if Delgado was watching him. He had so many questions running through his head, and he wasn’t even sure if he could even get answers.

* * *

 

When Arius was left alone in his assigned bunk, he let out a big sigh he had been holding back. His hand thread through his short, brown hair (his mother described it as ‘chestnut’, whatever that colour was). The short contact with Spike had been draining enough, and he’d expect it to be more so in the future.

Carefully, Arius started mapping out the small room. It wasn’t big, probably half the size of his room in Yeville. To the left of the doorway was another door leading to a private bathroom. He almost let out a curse when his knee bumped into the edge of the toilet. He hadn’t expected it to be so tiny, but he should have. Closing the door required him to slink around the edge, and he wondered how the other beefy military men use such a tiny space. Then again, they probably had a communal shower to which he’d whole-heartedly avoid.

The contents of his bunk were basic so to say the least, with a single bed shoved to the far right corner from the door and a small double-level drawer planted next to it. Almost immediately next to the dresser, situated on the left corner of the room close to the bathroom door was a small table and a chair. His large army-issued duffel (they refused to let him use his own backpack) was on top of it and he took the chance to unpack. He was halfway into the task when he paused.

Even before the knock on his door happened, he had been facing the door. The footsteps weren’t inconspicuous the least bit. Arius anticipated the knocking on the door, and he called for his visitor to enter. He doubted it was Delgado since the man had swiftly ushered him out and said that he was dismissed for the rest of the day.

“Hey, how's everything been?” Oakley’s familiar voice filled the room after the door opened and Arius relaxed instantly. If there was anyone he could be chill around, it was definitely his old university friend.

“Not too bad,” Arius fished out an empty note book from his bag that would serve as a diary for his time here. He placed it in the upper drawer of the dresser before turning to face Oakley.

“And you? You didn’t find me after graduation. I was pretty upset, and I didn’t know if I should’ve contacted you.”

“Ah… About that…” Oakley trailed off, and Arius heard the other shuffling about. He was nervous, and was that embarrassment he sensed? “Back then I was a little scared I guess? ‘Cuz after graduation I heard you got hooked up with Chelsea from the other block. Didn’t wanna be a third wheeler, man.”

“Oh, that,” Arius couldn’t help but let out a small laugh. “It didn’t work out. I obviously couldn’t keep up with her. Honestly, I didn’t think I was ready to commit, you know with the disability and all. We didn’t last very long. A month or so, give or take. Guess I wasn’t able enough.”

A soft thump on his arm and a snort from Oakley showed that he wasn’t impressed. “Man, you’re too good for someone with the likes of her.”

“Doesn’t really matter to me,” the brunette laughed. It was nice to be able to converse with at least one normal person in this foreign place. Chances were he’d be leeching short moments of normalcy like these as an anchor for his duration here.

“What about yourself? You entered the army right after.”

“Sort of an influence, actually. I’ve been thinking of joining all the while during school days. Just didn’t really voice it out. My grandfather and father both served different departments of the military. My time in university was just to get a degree to fall back to if the army didn’t accept my application.”

“With your record, I don’t see why they wouldn’t accept you to be honest,” Arius chuckled. Oakley wasn’t the top in class but he was relatively intelligent. He played heaps of sports that resulted in his physique (perhaps he was bigger now?).

A sheepish laugh escaped Oakley and Arius gave a small yelp of surprise when he was hooked round the neck and crushed against a body resembling a brick wall. Yes, definitely bigger now. And stronger.

“Yeah you know me, a big guy with an equal amount of chicken!”

Indeed, Arius could definitely vouch that fact. Oakley was honest by the least, admitting his soft spot for kittens and glitter pens. And his exaggerated phobia of grasshoppers.

Arius gave the arm around his neck a few taps, and Oakley let go. He left his arm to drape, and Arius savoured the familiar contact between friends. Comfort flooded through his system and he could finally truly relax for the first since he had stepped into Espera Military Base without worry. He could take the chance to learn more, however.

“What do you know of the ‘lead scientist Delgado’?” Arius kept his tone neutral as much as possible, making the conversation sound as casual as possible.

"Let's just say people tend to avoid him because of the crazy doc persona," Oakley snorted. "He's pretty well-known in the base because of his eccentric-ness, and most of us just pretend he ain't there. Keeps to himself most of the time. Heard he gets funded heaps to do his stuff, and recently he has gotten his hands on something that keeps him cooped up in his lab. Only a small handful of people know what he’s up to.” 

Oakley scratched his head. “We’re not allowed to poke around his business. He’s in a different league above us military personnel and we act as guards. Just do what we’re told to, typical soldier stuff.”

Arius nodded in understanding. He’d have to learn about Delgado on his own then. The man seemed to handle his stuff independently, and he wasn’t aware of any assistants to the scientist. He had yet to meet one thus far.

“What are you here for anyway? Did they recruit you to be a counselor or something?”

Arius couldn’t reveal what he was doing, as much as he’d like to share it with Oakley. For a second there, he was glad Oakley hadn’t asked about why he wanted to know more about Delgado.

But that meant more questions would go unanswered for him.

“Something like that.”

* * *

  
In the morning after breakfast, Arius entered Delgado’s room with more confidence than he carried the day before. He treaded slowly to the centre of the room where he recalled to be empty as Delgado walked over to him. The scientist had papers in his hands and he shuffled through them, arranging perhaps.

“I’ve continued observing Spike since you left yesterday. Compared to the weeks that he’s been here, his level of activeness has significantly increased.”

Arius had to raise a brow hearing that. “How was he like before, then?”

“On the day of his arrival, he was violent. Scratching and slamming the walls, shrieking. He caused quite a ruckus and only settled 48 hours after. Since then, he’d corner himself and hardly move except to occasionally feed. Within the last twelve of your absence, he had been pacing, waiting.”

Arius wanted to comment that Spike was described similarly like an animal, but kept his lips sealed. It would’ve been too crazy for Delgado to hire him at such high price just to communicate with an animal. Besides, the emotions he picked up before was above an animals’, much more complex, but at the same time simpler compared to a person at normal functioning levels. He deduced that Spike might just be an individual with some special needs of sort. What kind of information would Delgado extract out of Spike, though?

“If Spike has always been in isolation, and nearly weeks as you’ve mentioned, it would be unremarkable for him to show little response. I presume that no one has made any contact with him prior to my presence?”

“It has always been him and me only.”  

It came as no surprise to the brunette. If all Delgado did was observe Spike through the safety of a one-way mirror, nothing could be established. Spike wouldn’t have been able to interact with anyone, and they would cause him to sink into possible depression and feeling of solitude. It would take a while for him to escape the confines of isolation, but that was why Arius was here.

“May I make a request?” The empath said out loud. He took a soft grunt as approval and continued: “I’d like you to remove the one-way mirror function. I would like to allow him to see who exactly he’s facing.”

“You’re jumping the gun,” Delgado grunted as he approached the key panels for the wall. His words hadn't matched the attitude given.

“We might as well not dawdle and start now,” Arius took a deep breath as he heard buttons being clicked, followed by groaning of the wall panel being retracted.

Almost instantly, there was an odd sensation coddling his mind. It wasn’t strong, but it was being directed at him for sure. It was similar to the day before.

Arius approached the glass and didn’t hesitate putting his hand on the cold surface. He could feel Spike approaching closer and in response, his reception of the other individual’s emotions was stronger. In a matter of seconds, he could sense the other standing right before him. Flickering emotions etched into Arius’ mind, and he embraced them, picking them out to analyse. He hadn’t even heard Delgado speaking.

“I’m removing the one-way function. He will be able to see you in three… two…”

Delgado’s voice faded to white noise to him. Arius placed his full focus on what he could feel. Again, the bulk of it was simply curiosity. It was calm, almost playful. It elevated at some point, and Arius was sure that Spike was able to see him then. His only disappointment was that he couldn’t return the favour.

Was that some sort off muffled crooning he could barely hear?

“Interesting. He’s never actively responded this way,” Arius heard Delgado speak softly to himself. The shuffling of shoes told him that the scientist was walking over, and that was when Arius felt a pinch - surge of anger spiked his core and Arius felt his concentration snap. The emotions blew up exponentially and it made him flinch as it roared to life in his head.

He heard Delgado rush back to the panels swiftly, and there was an audible beep before fear and pain struck through his core. Any prior aggression was replaced in a heartbeat. Arius barely held back a shout as he processed a reaction that did not belong to him, but were Spike’s emotions amplified through pure agony.

“What did you do!?” Arius demanded to know, snapping his head in the direction of the key panels where Delgado stood.

Delgado defended himself with an unimpressed growl. “It’s a punishing mechanism I’ve installed. Once he steps out of line, it is issued.”

“That isn’t a positive reinforcement,” Arius hissed out, angry. Part of it wasn’t his. He was thankful that the pain faded, but left soreness in its wake. A cowering feeling. “What made you use it?”

“ _Spike_ here was directing an undesirable attitude in my direction,” Delgado huffed out, as if stating the obvious. Like resorting to a slap to the face of a kid who did a childish pout. Completely unnecessary.  

“If you wish for me to do my job, you must promise not to interfere. Any external influences can jeopardise the process and situation, and I guarantee you it’ll take a longer time and more effort to rectify it.”

Delgado grunted but remained silent. Arius placed his hand against the glass again, whispering with a low voice. He hoped his own emotions and body language would make Spike settle down.

Said individual wavered, cautious. It was clear he didn’t want the punishment again and hesitated his approach. It took a fair amount of coaxing before Spike came close again. There was a split second’s divided attention.

“It’s ok, focus on me,” Arius muttered, bringing his nails to claw the glass discretely. He made small movements to catch Spike’s attention. When he did, he shifted his hand, and he could tell Spike had completely ignored Delgado by the corner.  

The atmosphere fell silent and calm. Arius deduced that Delgado needed to steer clear out of Spike’s sight in the meantime. His presence seemed to set him off out of whatever spite existed between them.  The man must’ve done something to cause Spike to cause him to rile up so quickly. He needed to find out what caused it to be able to address the problem and subsequently appease Spike. Everything would fall into shambles if either party caused havoc at any point in time.

It was clear that Spike was not fond of Delgado the least bit, and Arius shared the same sentiments. Nevertheless, he intended to focus on Spike, not the scientist.  

“You’re alright,” Arius felt rather silly speaking in the manner he would with a child, but at this point he couldn’t care less. “You’ll be fine.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spike is cute I reckon.


	4. Meet

Arius found that he could only retain Spike's focus if Delgado wasn't around. Even though the empath was always kind with his words, the one thing he wouldn't stand for was his work being disrupted. It happened three times over the course of an hour that Arius lost Spike's attention and resulted in a sharp increase of aggression. Delgado's 'observation' was proving to cause disturbances and Arius had to be professional about it at the best of his abilities. He told Delgado that his presence would not help.

The scientist blew up, naturally, and like a spoilt child stormed out the room after muttering inaudible curses. Arius winced at the stomping down the hallway, sure that he had heard someone shuffled quickly out of the man's way.

At least everything should be peaceful now.

Spike's attention was back on him, that he could tell for sure. The individual's emotions had always been fluttering around being curious, wondering what exactly Arius was up to.

On his side of the boat, Arius had been merely projecting calming words, repeating it both verbally and in his mind. His body language remained slacked, un-threatening and small. He used his hand as a gauge to see if Spike was following, and now that Delgado was out of the room, he could run a few more experiments which he would prefer doing alone so as to not feel awkward.

Slowly, he took a step forward, keeping his hand on the glass. Spike's curiosity increase a fraction, but it didn't break his concentration. Arius skirted his hand along the glass, and once it was too far behind he abruptly shifted it forward.

Spike had surged forward a step, following his hand. It was a good sign and Arius smiled to himself at his achievement.

“You're doing really well,” he complimented out loud. He wasn't sure if Spike could hear, much less understand him. Arius simply imagined Spike to be some sort of foreigner, maybe indigenous of a lower IQ scale. But even such beings had emotions, and that was how he was building the trust on; feelings alone.

Arius just wished he could make some sort of skin contact to be able to register more.

The front of the brunette's foot hit a structure and it startled him for a second. Using his other hand, Arius found himself finding the cold metal surface of said object. His hand travelled up and he realised that the had just hit the panels which were likely the controls to the isolated room.

Instantly, anger streamed through his mind and he realised that it orginated from Spike. The individual comprehended that the panels could cause him pain and Arius took a step away from it, placing both his hands on the glass at the level of his chest.

“It's okay. I'm not going to do anything,” he reassured the other, smiling. “I'm not him. I won't hurt you.”

His actions seemed to have appeased Spike and Arius let out a soft sigh. He tread across to the other end of the glass, and couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle when Spike followed closely.

“You're like an inquisitive puppy,” Arius tapped the glass twice, receiving slight elation.

“I'm wondering why you're here. It doesn't seem like Delgado wants to get information out of you. You don't seem like you've got anything to hide,” the empath trailed off. He turned to lean his back against the glass, tilting his head and resting it against the surface. He was starting to tired mentally from the constant need to remain 'connected'.

“Free...” Arius found the word slipping out of his mouth absently. He caught himself and backed away from the glass, facing Spike. The latter was standing right behind where he was; he could feel it.

“You want to get out.”

He wasn't sure if he has heard right, but there was a subtle noise escaping from the room which housed Spike. Arius placed his ear against the glass, hoping he could pick up on something. All he managed to hear was the sound of a low hissing, followed by a soft whine that tugged his heart.

* * *

  
  
Sympathising with his patients was what Arius had always been doing. He's put himself in their shoes, and with the aid of the emotions they projected to him, he'd learn to understand. “I know how you feel” were the words he could actually say without offending them. But this was the first time he'd come to empathise with one of lower functionality, and a jailed one to boot. He was certain that professionally, he shouldn't be taking a side.

Arius gave a sigh and placed his writing instrument on the table. It would be a while before he could pen down his thoughts since they were currently in a mess. It was tangling up, and the more he fiddled with it, the more knots were going to incur.

He went over to the door and it slid open after Arius touched the control panel to the side. He was greeted by a cheerful voice, eager to come to his aid.

“I'd like to drop by at the canteen,” he requested as nicely as he could. He could really use coffee right now.

The escort today was 'Jim'. He was nicer than the one he had met on day one 'Lexon'. Jim was younger, a chatterbox, and Arius took pleasure in talking to him about matters outside confidentiality. It was usually casual stuff like favourite TV shows (he couldn't watch, but he could listen) or sharing good music.

Arius knew how to get to the canteen, but as ordered, he was to have an escort with him all the time. He begun a conversation with Jim about having patients with PTSD when the soldier asked if he was here as a counselor.

“Never had a soldier per say, but I reckon it might be a little difficult because of some things they may not be able to reveal,” Arius hummed. They were in the elevator, taking it up with three other passengers who were completely silent during the ride. He could feel their scrutinising gazes, but he retained a small smile on his face.

They exited the elevator before the others, and Jim took the lead with Arius following closely behind him, and Jim continued their conversation:

“Yeh, I know what you mean. Lots of stuff goes around on this base in particular because it houses a lot of air craft that are capable of travelling light years away. You know, those big ass ships with high powered thrusters? They make a hell lot of noise and the whole base shakes with a magnitude 10!”

Arius laughed at the exaggerated value before continuing: “I am aware Espera Military Base is equipped with some nifty technology. Indulge me a little, have they been using the space crafts actively?”

“Dwindling resources means we're gonna have to find other planets to fill up, right? But they say lots of stuff roam the other planets, so we're going to need to find more effective ways of clearing unknown populace,” Jim babbled on. “They're trying to make some sort of effective weaponry, or at least some sort of 'thing' that can scout the planets before making a landing.”

“Don't they have mechanical drones and such?”

Jim gave a loud snort. “Apparently conditions on other planets are so bad that bots won't cut it. Apparently they're planning to use something more... _alive_ , y'know, like a sniffer?”

Arius couldn't quite catch the reference, but gave a soft 'hm' in response. When they reached the canteen, he treated Jim to a cup and they sat down debating which pasta fitted which sauce bases better.

* * *

  
  
“You want me to _what_?” Arius couldn't believe his ears. Hearing the words just said, he couldn't help but break the concentration he had with Spike. He could feel the latter turning mildly upset when he lost his attention, but Arius had no choice but to focus on the verbal conversation taking place.

“It's been a week, and you seem to be doing fine with this fella. The board wants to know its progress, and that's where you come in,” Delgado spoke of it so casually, it was highly disturbing.

“A week is only the beginning. Yes, Spike has been calm in my presence but we do not know what may happen after.” Arius clicked his tongue. He recalled how much effort it took to get Spike used to Delgado's presence alone. Every day, he'd try introducing the scientist in the room for various lengths of time. It had only been two days since he could hold Spike's fullest attention and completely ignore the other man in the room.

Arius took a deep breath. He had to approach this slowly.

“What are they expecting?” A crooning was barely heard and the hand by his side was placed against the glass. Spike settled upon seeing his hand, and he gave it two taps as a positive reinforcement.

“You'll find out.” - Not quite the answer he'd hope to hear at this point.

The empath sensed a shift in the atmosphere and he jumped when he heard thundering footsteps along the hallway. The door leading into Delgado's lab was opened, and Arius yelped when gloved hands grabbed his arms.

“Delgado, what's going on!?” He tried to struggle through the vice grips, but failed.

“To see if there is actual _progres_ s. I tire of waiting.”

Panic flooded the Arius' mind. He had no idea what was happening as he was being dragged out of Delgado's lab and hauled through the base. Arius had no choice but to follow or risk his shoulders dislocating as they manhandled him through door after door. He could hardly keep his footing when he was tossed into somewhere unknown, holding back a cry when he hit the floor on his shoulder.

“You'll have to pardon the rudeness, O'Klein, but we're quite short on time,” Delgado's voice sounded overhead, probably through some sort of speaker system. It was muffled with a hint of static, and Arius gritted his teeth angrily as the voice continued. “A week may be short for your little 'bonding' session, but it was a lot wasted for me. You do know time is money.”

The sound of another door being opened hissed, and Arius stiffened. It was coming from another direction and not the one he'd been cast through. He had little idea of what to anticipate, but he had a gut feeling it would include Spike. Were they finally going to meet face-to-face, just to see what the individual might do? Seeing that Spike was cooped up in such a reinforced place, it was established that he was dangerous, and now Delgado was throwing him straight into the fire.

Arius tried to calm himself, but failed utterly when he heard a soft thud coming from the other end of the place he was thrown in. He must've been placed in a room next to Spike's to allow him to access. It sounded like... footsteps, but nothing close to that of a person. It was padded, soft and careful, unlike the rough and heavy kind a person would usually make. In fact, it hadn't even sounded like a person, and Arius paled when he pieced things together.

A fortified room, Delgado's way of calling him 'specimen', and the intelligent but lower-functioning thoughts... Spike wasn't even _human_. He was stupid to not have realised this sooner. But what exactly was he about to face, then?

Arius could feel his hands trembling as he remained frozen on the ground. He could hear, _feel_ Spike drawing closer. It was as he had expected – without a wall between them, Spike's emotions rocketed in his mind. There was no hostility yet, but he couldn't ensure the same for later. The familiar curiosity tingled under his skin, and Arius held his breath.

The best he could do now was to remain unmoving, and pray hard that his efforts of the week interacting with Spike would pay off. He didn't dare to move, much less speak. Every second the sensations coursing through his mind grew stronger, while Spike's physical form shifted closer. Arius' nails dug into the flesh of his palms, clenching his jaw so hard that it ached.

Spike was looming directly above him. He could smell the other. It was tangy, almost foul. He couldn't quite describe it, but it was bearable though unpleasant. Spike was emitting a peculiar heat, and it clouded his personal space more than he'd be comfortable with. He had yet to move an inch from his spot from where he laid.

Arius could feel his own fear overload his system, rendering him too crippled to read Spike. He had never felt himself being this afraid in his entire life. Spike was not human. The dangerous, abnormal sounding hiss above his ear was enough to prove it.

And out of the blue, the hiss was gone. Instead, a soft grumbling replaced it, and Arius jumped when something wet touched the side of his neck. He reached up to touch in reflex, and his fingers were met with some sort of slime that was cool compared to his warm digits. The amount wasn't a lot, but enough to make him grimace in mild disgust.

This time, there was a forceful push against his shoulder and Arius ended up propped on an elbow and the side of his hip. He reached out this time, and he stiffened when he made first contact of Spike's physical body.

It was covered with the same slick material that touched his neck, like some sort of moisturiser gone old. Aside from that, Spike's skin was smooth, but underneath that smoothness he could tell were solid muscles. He couldn't tell which part of the other he came in contact with, but Spike didn't seem to mind his hand.

In fact, Spike was letting out soft rumbling noises, as if in approval. Finally being able to touch Spike allowed the empath to read even better as his own emotions calmed down. Spike was contented, relaxed and perhaps even glad. Sensing this, it brought a smile to Arius' face, and slowly but surely, he shifted to sit up instead.

The hand touching Spike shifted, and Arius held both hands out, searching blindly.

“Come,” he bid softly. To his surprise, Spike did.

He shoved what seemed to be his head into the open palms of Arius' hands, albeit quite roughly as if not knowing his own strength. What Arius could tell was that Spike was massive. The supposed head in his hands took a while to map out.

He felt a large, smooth forehead that lacked any form of hair. His fingers admired the squarish jawline as they trailed along. The brunette winced when he nearly pricked his finger on a set of sharp canines. Overall, it seemed like an alienated form of a human face.

Ah, so that was what Spike was. An alien.

It made sense since the military had means to access other planets. Spike was probably something picked up from another world.

“But you're surprisingly nice, for something dubbed 'dangerous',” Arius said gently as he stroked the smooth forehead. It was only further along that he felt sharp ridges, to which he reminded himself not to come close to or risk experiencing pain.

Spike shifted and shoved his entire head into Arius' body, and the brunette could hear noises that resembled crooning. He completely ignored how Spike's oily slime-like secretions was getting all over his shirt and pants. The large head rose up and bumped against the side of Arius', earning a soft chuckle. He came to appreciate the rather animalistic affection.

However, the moment hadn't lasted when Arius heard the door he came through opening, and everything happened so quickly within a split second. The crunching of military boots indicated that people were invading the room. Spike started to hiss aggressively in response. Arius yelped when something long wrapped around his midsection, and he barely found the balance standing on his two feet when he was being pulled forward.

Was that a _tail_?

“Get back you ugly son ova' bitch!” A deep voice shouted, and Arius shouted when a sudden rush of air was blasted his way. It was cold. Extremely cold, and it felt like it was scalding his skin.

Spike's fury could be read like an open book and Arius winced when the alien let out a deafening screech to ward off the soldiers. It was mixed with a cry of pain, but it seemed like Spike wasn't giving in without a fight. Arius couldn't help but let out a gasp when the appendage around his waist tightened to the point that he struggled to breath.

_Protect._

It finally clicked and Arius understood what Spike was trying to do.

The whirlpool of emotions radiating from everyone within the confines of the room was making his head hurt. The soldiers were still yelling in an excruciating volume while Spike was returning a bombardment of inhuman pitches. _Anger, pain, fear_. It was pure chaos and Arius couldn't breathe.

“Stop, just stop!” He finally screamed and thankfully, everything did. The men ceased using the weapon they wielded, and Spike's initial screeches died to a low growl. The tail loosened a little, and Arius took his first comfortable breath.

“Spike, Spike,” Arius called out, trying to get the alien's attention. A single hand of his flailed, hoping that it would be seen. He wasn't sure if Spike even knew his pseudo-name, but he tried anyway. “Let go, it's okay.” While he wasn't sure if the language barrier would prove difficult, he kept his emotions in check as an assurance.

“They're not going to hurt me, and I'm not going to let them hurt you,” he whispered as his fingers reached up and found the solid jawline under the set of menacing teeth. He gave it a few soothing rubs, tugging it slightly with whatever friction possible between his fingers and the moist, rubbery skin. Spike followed his lead, and as risky as it was, he dropped his head sideways to meet the other's cheek. Or at least, where it might've been.

“Spike, let go,” the empath tried again, speaking slower this time. This time, the alien heeded and his tail loosened slowly, but surely. He gave him a pat for listening. “I know you don't want to, but you'll need to let me leave. I'm not going to get hurt, but if you try to stop them, you will be, and I don't want that.”

A low hiss escaped Spike and Arius opted for a slightly more aggressive approach to get his message through. He clasped the sides of Spike's head, putting their foreheads together.

_Go. I'll be okay. I'll be back._

The contact lasted several seconds, with only his heartbeat as background noise. Arius didn't even care of soldiers who stood behind him, neither did he care if he was possibly watched through another one-way mirror or a camera. He did what he felt was necessary, and hoped that his emotions went through to the other being.

Spike let out a loud hiss of dissatisfaction, but Arius picked up a sense of defeat. The alien stepped back and away from his hands, leaving the slight grime to linger. Arius listened carefully to the weight and direction of the unusual footsteps, and was mentally relieved when they indicated that Spike was retreating back into the room he had stepped out from.

Arius heard the door seal close and he collapsed to his knees, hanging his head.

* * *

  
  
“There you have it, gentlemen. We have successfully tamed XH-022 with the aid of Arius O'Klein.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a spontaneous high when I'm tired, and I pass out afterwards :D


	5. Chaos

In his bunk, Arius was seated on his somewhat comfortable bed. He had taken a shower, and took the chance to hand-wash his grime-slicked clothing.

He felt as if he was forced to come to terms that Spike was not a human being. Or anything remotely close to that. His shock wasn't due to finding out Spike was an alien, but more of realising how far they had come to mutually connect _despite_ being alien.

Oakley happened to drop by later that day. From the moment he stepped in, he knew something was up. He coaxed his friend slightly, seeing if he wanted to speak.

Although he was bound by contract, Arius succumbed to the urge for the need to confide. Even if he was supposed to be his own doctor, he needed someone else to hear him. Arius genuinely needed his friend’s help, and he wasn’t going to lie about anything.

“Delgado's been hiding an alien in his lab,” Arius admitted, fingers interlocked with each other. “I don't know where he came from, but I'm sure he's not from here. Spike feels too... dangerous of a species to possibly exist alongside humanity. I don't even think he's from Meteora.”

“I've heard rumors of him keeping a pet but whoah, I didn't expect it to be true,” Oakley, seated beside him, whistled. “And something from outer space, huh...”

“Oak, I feel his emotions. He wants out.”

The soldier let out a loud sigh and shifted where he sat. “Arius, you're receiving the thoughts from a caged animal. Alien, whatever. Of course it wants to be free. You can't... confuse yourself like this. Think about what would happen if it got loose?”

"I understand, I'm not trying to free him from the base. He just... doesn't belong here. He shouldn't even be here. We don't know what the consequences are if anything should happen, yeah?"

“Arius, I know you're concerned for the well-being of this... _Spike_ -thing, but don't you think you should let the scientists, y'know, do their mad stuff?”

“I can't bring myself to allow Delgado to do what he wishes. It's just too suspicious. First, he never never warned me on who my 'patient' was. Next, he didn't hestiate a single moment when he decided to throw me into the same room as Spike, _without_ any form of protection. Something's happening, Oak. I just don't know what it could be.”

Oakley sighed and Arius felt a dip on his bed. The soldier sat next to him and ruffled his hair. He was concerned, nervous and confused, and Arius could understand why. His own emotions weren't too different as thoughts fogged his mind.

“I'll do whatever snooping I can, but I can't promise anything.”

Arius nodded. “That's all I can ask for.”  
  
\-------

Arius stood in the centre of the room, mildly nervous to be in it once more. Recalling what had happened recently made him think twice about being in this position again. However, it was the only way he could get close to Spike. To be able to interact with the alien figure without any barriers and be able to completely read him through feelings.

The empath braced himself as the door that separated them lifted, and Arius could hear the bizarre footsteps. They headed his direction without hesitance, but also without aggression. He was relieved for that. It had been a thought that Spike may have just forgotten about who he was every time they interacted. Arius wondered if Spike was able to visually recognise him (he didn't recall touching any features that remotely resembled eyes) or through other senses. He reckoned through the former, since Spike could respond to his hand very quickly.

“Spike," Arius called with his hand out, palm down. The rubbery texture of Spike's skin caressed his, and he smiled. "Hey big guy." A sense of contentment warmed his soul.

Arius felt odd speaking the way he did. It was as if he was speaking to a child or an animal, using simple words and a gentle tone. He didn't find himself disliking it, however, and found that Spike responded in kind. The alien was rubbing against his hand, showing affection and being contented by his presence alone. In fact, he was sure Spike was crooning, and it was a weird rumbling noise.

Slowly, Arius lowered himself to sitting with his legs crossed. He expected himself to be stuck here for a long while, but he didn't care. He was more than happy to be here with an alien than a mad scientist who wallowed in his own selfishness and desires.

Arius sat quietly to see how Spike would respond. The alien seemed to have circled him, bumping him occasionally in several places with the large forehead. Eventually, he seemed to have found a spot, and Ariushad a toothy smile on his face when he felt Spike plop his large head onto his lap.

The alien's large body circled him where he sat, and Arius stiffened for a second when he felt the muscled tail wrap around his core. It was long enough to make two full loops. He decided to explore the alien physiology from there. Carefully, Arius traced the appendage coiled around his waist, and his fingers would catch deep ridges. By luck, he found the end, and it was like an extended teardrop with a dangerous, curved and pointed end. It reminded Arius of an arrowhead.

Arius had been conscious of Spike's emotions as his digits fiddled about. So far, the alien was relaxed, not the least minding the touches. In fact he seemed to enjoy the attention, and Arius was tempted to call him a puppy.

He started from Spike's head again, completely oblivious to the moisture seeping through his clothing. The large head was nestled just against the crook of where his legs met, heavy on his thighs. It was bearable for now, but Arius was sure his legs would cramp up and he'd have to move.

Arius had a chance to map out Spike's facial features, so he'll skip on that. He followed the jawline and brushed along the length that was the neck, reaching a solid mass that was the shoulders. Arius came to noticed that this alien species was heavy ridged in various places: crown, shoulders, chest... He managed to find the hand that had six long digits, but the four in the middle were syndactyly as pairs.

The empath couldn't reach anywhere lower that the waist with the way Spike had curled around him. His hands returned to pampering the head, to which Spike let out a satisfied croon. Hearing it Arius couldn’t help but relax, and found his back pressed against the large body. It was a little bony for his tastes, but it felt better to lean against a surface. Spike didn’t seem to mind the added weight and Arius found himself drifting, tired of all the things that have been happening.

Arius hadn’t even realised that he had fallen asleep at some point. He stirred to odd noises and he realised Spike was whining. Worry clouded his mind and he realised that it wasn’t him feeling it.

“Sorry, sorry. It’s ok, I’m not dead. I was just sleeping,” his hands searched about, and started stroking the smoother parts of Spike’s head. “Did you think I was dead?” He chuckled.

A low grumble made Arius take it as a ‘yes’ and he chuckled. “No, when you sleep, you don’t move either. It’ll make it look like you’re dead, but in truth, your heart still beats. Only if it stops are you dead.”

Arius felt silly trying to talk to the alien with such depth. He wasn’t even sure if Spike understood him up to this day. Nevertheless, he continued speaking, practising his hand gestures which would make Spike follow closely. Using gestures was the easiest he could think of for now, but he wasn’t a hundred percent sure that Spike would following when they weren’t alone. He was afraid of the other getting distracted easily, and it the results of a dangerous alien running amuck was not a pleasant thought.

\----

Delgado forced a change of location for his third subsequent meet up with Spike. It seemed like they were able to transport Spike into larger room somehow. At this point, Spike was like a puppy, approaching him the moment Arius was shoved into the room.

Arius calmed the alien, stroking along the cheeks. His lips thinned when he heard several people shuffling in from the opposite end. He almost felt Spike about to launch himself but Arius managed to plant himself between, calling out a loud 'stop!'. Spike listened, but not without letting out a threatening hiss.

Several people had made their way into the room, some military and some not. Arius twitched his nose at the mixed smell of cologne, perfume and sweat. He heard some mechanism clicking, and he instantly recognised it to be the weapons that had been used in his direction back in room next to Spike's. Said individual was also starting to growl, to which Arius placed a hand on the other's cheek, willing him to cease.

“Arius O’Klein,” Delgado spoke. The man was standing a fair distance away, which was a good sign. Arius guessed that they may be hanging near the doorway if there was a need for immediate evacuation. “I’d like you to come over to meet the board, the people who are in charge of this project. They are the ones funding for this entire cause, as well as your presence here. Three days ago, they've witnessed your interaction between 022 and yourself. They were rather impressed, and we've organised a special session for them to see it first-hand. ”

Arius gritted his teeth. It seemed like he was to meet the big guns today, right before Spike no less. Carefully, laid his head against Spike's cheek, bidding him to stay. He hoped the alien would listen, and he tested it out by taking a few steps away with his hand low. Surprisingly, Spike made no move. Not even a pip.

The brunette approached the group of people with the best of his abilities, slowly progressing forward at an average pace. He was still wary of what may be on the ground.

Once he was before the group of people, he held a hand out. “Arius O'Klein.” He waited, but was met with silence. It was then he remembered that his hand was slick with the stuff that came from Spike, and he gave an apologetic nod, keeping it. He was so used to the texture that he was bothered by it no longer.

“Josephine Lotts,” a very businessman-like voice was being introduced first. By his tone, Arius could tell he was a dignified person holding an upper-class demeanor.

“Uni Releksi,” this time, an older, heavily accented person spoke. Chances were this guy provided the highest funding. He sounded experienced, wealthy and proud.

“Maxillion Harper,” a lady spoke right after. Her expensive perfume was the strongest scent that clogged his senses uncomfortably.

“Can’t say that it’s under the best circumstances that we’re meeting,” Arius replied. He let slip the sarcasm he would do only when he was upset. He corrected himself with a deep breath and dropped his head a little. “I do not wish to beat around the bush. You have recruited me to aid in your project, and I have found myself dealing with a species neither animal nor human. I doubt there is any actual information you require from him, so what are you trying to achieve?”

“Before that, I’d like to give you some tidbits on the thing you’re dealing with.” Arius heard Delgado interrupt, placing a heavy hand on his shoulder and squeezing. A warning. “That thing you’ve come to refer to as ‘Spike’ is an extra-terrestrial species we call Xenomoprh XX121. Spike is named XH-022 in our scientific papers. Since a century ago, many companies and organisations have been hunting down this species in order to conduct research on it, but alas, they never made it.

“A month ago, we’ve picked it up from another planet where its species have come to thrive. It took years to successfully capture one and bring it back to Meteora without it die during cryofreeze. We want to work with a live specimen without it killing us, and that is where your role comes in. They are a highly dangerous species because of their intelligence. And we _want_ this intelligence. If we are able to use it, imagine the wonders we could achieve.”

“I don’t believe we’re on the same page,” Arius said honestly, shaking his head.

“Your interaction with XH-022 is exceptional,” Harper commented. “We're all looking forward the day you are to be able to control it, and in turn, allow us to.”

As an empath, he has never abused his abilities in such a manner. He was supposed to emotionally support someone, not psycho-control them. It was just wrong.

“I'll have to correct you on that, ma'am. You cannot _control_ someone, much less a creature with a mind of its own,” Arius replied in a firm tone. “Spike only seems to be listening because I've earned his trust. But outside of that, I cannot guarantee his actions.”

“We are expecting results, not excuses.”

The empath was furious. He felt like he was speaking to a couple of brick walls. "I'm not a telepath. I've said that I can't control him."

"Then you are of no use to us," Releksi gruffed out, turning to step away.

"You'll only make matters worse, I guarantee," Arius almost yelled out. Forget professionalism. These people were only after their own interests to which Arius would never come to share. "Spike shouldn't be here. For the safety and sake of humankind, you should bring him back where you found him."

Lotts interjected, sounded absolutely furious. "And who gave you the rights to dictate what's better for mankind? Do you know how much we've invested into this? You're telling us to toss it aside after decades of hard work?"

Everything was about money for this guy.

Arius shook his head, trying to keep himself calm. There would be no positive outcomes if he blew up now. He had to keep his emotions in control. "I don't, but all I know is that he shouldn't be here. There's a reason why he does not exist as a normality amongst us.”

“Delgado, remove this useless person. I feel as if I've wasted half my life coming in today,” Releksi's words ended the conversation, and Arius was lost for words.

“So the order says,” Delgado mused, and Arius couldn't help but realise what it would mean. He wouldn't be able to work with Spike ever again if he were to be permamently dismissed from his post. The thought scared him.

“Wait, no! You can't just do this!” Arius started to panic as arms grabbed him. They were strong, meaning that they were the soldiers who had came in with the board members. He struggled, leaning away and tried his best to break out of the holds, but to no avail. He didn't want it to end like this.

There was a sudden rush of anger, but it didn't belong to him. It was shocking, as if electricity coarsed through his mind. Spontaneous, abrupt, dangerous. It didn't belong to the guards that were holding onto him, and it definitely wasn't him. It was-

Arius barely had the time as he turned his head back shouting: “SPIKE, _NO_!”

_Hell broke loose._

All Arius could hear was a hysterical screech of unknown origin as something large collided against his body. Instantly, he fell to the ground and he let out a pained cry upon impact. His head swam as he heard shouting and a noises that were far from human. Chaos was happening around him and he couldn't tell what what happening. All he could register was hair-standing screams, followed by the scent of blood heavily wafting through the air. It make Arius nauseous as he doubled over, finding it extremely difficult to keep his guts inside.

Arius dared to move only after everything went questionably silent. Even the familiar sensation of a tail wrapping around his waist couldn't calm him. He knew. Even if he couldn't see, he knew what Spike might have done. _Had_ done. He just didn't know how many casualties there were, and he didn't want to find out either.

His hand reached up to receive the usual response of Spike nudging his palm with his snout. Only this time, it wasn't just the typical slime that could be felt. Something warm and viscous started to trickle down his hand. Arius gritted his teeth, brows furrowed in remorse even though he knew it wasn't his fault.

“It wasn't supposed to be like this...” Arius whispered out.

Spike on the other hand was crooning, pleased. Nothing seemed to be on the alien's mind except enjoying the attention he was receiving from the human.

  
  


 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I use juvenile chapter names. I just put the word that comes into my mind that summarises the chapter :')


	6. Escape

Scotts Renald was an animal behaviourist whose expertise laid with larger carnivorous species. He had been Delgado’s acquaintance via a mutual company. Delgado needed a replacement for O’Klein since his dismissal three days ago when the one of the board members was killed. Renald was a daredevil by nature, and upon hearing the offer to work with an extra-terrestrial species, he took up the offer instantly.

Upon his arrival, they wasted little time and sat down to scrutinise every video recording available. They were of the times when O’Klein had been interacting with the Xenomorph face to face. Renald started picking up subtle actions or habits that the young man was doing whilst in the same room as the alien.

Delgado had bigger faith in Renald achieving his goal. The latter didn’t quite seem to care about the ethics or dubious intentions since his pockets was conveniently being filled. Plus, it was an alien, not an animal. The difference was clear cut and Renald didn’t empathise. The man was actually keen on taking up the challenge of trying to interact with a real life Xenomorph, and the thought of being able to manipulate one gave him the thrill.

“This,” the French-descent pointed out one day when they were on their seventeenth footage. “Even if this thing is an alien, it’s obvious what’s it’s doing in my eyes.”

“Oh?” Delgado questioned, raising a thickened brow. Was there something this man picked up that he didn’t, despite having been watching closely all along?

“Here, see this?” Renald pointed at the screen where 022 was circling the blind man. The Xenomorph was bobbing its head lightly, sticking its head into the human’s neck once in a while. It would occasionally nudge O’klein at his side with enough pressure to make the individual wobble, but not fall over.

In a few videos, O’Klein would sometimes lay down or sit with the Xenomorph. The man was completely relaxed despite knowing how dangerous the creature was. Their interactions were questionable, seeing how O’Klein would be so receptive to the advances. Stroking, caressing, laying his head against the alien.

The Xenomorph would weaved around the person. “It’s inspecting O’Klein carefully, the same way many females would check out the males if they were suitable partners."

"Are you saying it's courting him?" Delgado frowned deeply.

"If this species is as adaptable as acclaimed to, and without the nest to be controlled by, its primary instinct is to seek shelter or even build a territory of its own, even. This would be suitable, with the right location and the right company," Renald trailed off. "You’ve mentioned that 022 has killed a few men before, hasn't it?"

"Yes, it a few soldiers and the programme head Josephine Lotts were killed.”

“Bring up the video. I think I can affirm from there.”

Delgado did as instructed. With a few clicks of the keyboard, a new video replaced the old one. It showcased the large room, Delgado, soldiers and the board members. On the other end, it was O'Klein and 022. There was a short moment’s interaction, but when O’Klein was being grabbed by the soldiers, 022 attacked instantly. When the entire commotion died down, along with a few humans, Renald paused the recording.

“There. Did you see that? He had only gone for the people who got too close to O’Klein. Its primary motive is to guard O’Klein from harm, but had not killed the rest in the room even though it was probably capable enough. It prioritised O’Klein’s safety. Generally, one would only retaliate if they were protecting themselves or someone they deem their own, yes?”

The scientist couldn’t help but consider the theory, as ridiculous as it had sounded in its head. Having been the only one observing the interaction between O’Klein and 022 first-hand, he tried to make sense of the situation.

From years of research, the Xenomorphs went through an entirely different breeding cycle from any known living form. He had never heard of a lower class capable of being carriers as well. The only possibility is for 022 itself to evolve into a queen and start the parthenogensesis process. But why would it be to attached to O'Klein then? 

Delgado cast the thoughts to the back of his mind when the man next to him spoke:

“Perhaps we could trick it into thinking that O’Klein is around,” Renald suggested. “I’m confident in imitating the way he has approached 022. It’s rather straightforward.”

“If you deem it to be the best approach.” By this point, Delgado didn’t care what Renald would do. All he needed were results to hand in to the board to save his project from being terminated. The death of Lotts meant a painful decrease in the funding provided, and ranks above the board were starting to think twice about letting the project continue if more deaths were to occur.

Everything was arranged accordingly. Renald was issued a specialised clothing that resembled a thinned version of an astronaut suit, completely covered from head to toe. A one-way helmet was included that allowed the man to have a clear view, but disallowed the opposite. The full-body gear was meant to nullify all scents, so the man could only physically interact with the Xenomorph. He reminded himself not to speak just in case the alien could recognise vocals.

Renald entered the connecting room first, and the man planted himself in the center. He watched as the steel wall before him was raised. He could see the Xenomorph right away turning to face his direction. He held his breath at the height of the massive creature. He had most certainly underestimated the size-aspect that cameras could easily deceive. Nevertheless, he held his ground, waiting for it to approach. It was what O’Klein did.

When 022 walked through the door, he raised his hand, palm facing the floor. He simply needed to replicate the steps like a dance. Practice would give the perfect results. He waited for the Xenomorph to respond, and it did.

022 presented the dome of its head first, pushing it under the open palm. Renald let go of the breath he had been holding since he saw the Xenomorph, and he found himself relaxing. 022 pressed forward and Renald held his ground. He couldn’t hesitate, because O’Klein never did.

The alien was nudging the side of the suit, smearing a thin layer of its natural coating against the material. Renald swore he could hear a bizarre noise escaping the alien as he reached up to stroked the large dome. All had been progressing well when he let out an ‘ouch’, retracting his hand. He stared at his palm where the glove had been cut, with redness swelling under. Shocked by the sudden injury, he glanced up to see that the back half of the Xenomorph’s dome was dangerously spiked, resulting in his current state.

022’s head right by Renald’s helmet paused and his heart started to thunder in his chest. Did the alien know? Did it have a sensitive sense of smell?

A long, ridged tail started to coil around the man’s figure, and Renald forced himself to remain standing and not let fear cause him to mess up. The tail around him was a casual act; O’Klein had been on the receiving end of all these many times over. His hands resumed stroking the Xenomorph as it reared back slowly.

With the tail around him, Renald couldn’t quite move as 022 came to place its face right before his helmet. He could take in the details of the ebony carapace that reflected the white overhead lighting. The texture seemed so smooth to touch. Next came a set of teeth that oddly resembled a human’s, save the exceptionally long canines. The teeth slowly parted, and Renald was mesmerised by the act. He took a second to notice that there was a slight glint of silver at the back of the Xenomorph’s throat before everything went dark.

\---------

Delgado’s fear sky rocketed when he saw the Xenomorph’s mouth open, lips pulled back in a hiss. He didn’t even have time to react when the alien’s pharyngeal jaw struck at a speed invisible to the naked eye. It speared the helmet that Renald wore in a split second, shattering it. Without the tail coiled around the body, it would’ve fallen to the floor instantly.

As if witnessing time slowing, Delgado watched in horror as 022 retracted its secondary mouth. The long tail started to unwravel itself, letting the body drop to the floor haphazardly. Blood was seeping through the hole in the helmet, pooling on the ground. The Xenomorph threw its massive head back and let out a long, calling screech.

With the initial horror being replaced by seething anger, Delgado’s eyes cast back to the key panels, finding the one he required. He slammed his open palm onto the button. Instantly, a gas was administered into the room. Frost crystals begun to form on the discarded man’s body within seconds, while the Xenomorph was screeching and flailing.

Its large tail slash the air and slammed against the walls, glass, anything. But having been so caught up in his fury, Delgado hadn’t even realised that he had been pushing the button for an extended period of time outside the supposed safety range. At the same time, he felt that it was a well-deserved punishment, and regretted little. He had only stopped when the entire room was shrouded in white mist.

The scientist crossed his arms in triumph. Now, all he had to do was wait for the gas to subside and he could re-assess the situation. Perhaps the Xenomorph will learn that killing would land him with such an agonising punishment, and learn to act otherwise.

It took a fair amount of time before Delgado could vaguely see the figures inside. Renald was completely frozen, and 022 was curled on the ground unmoving. Crystals coated the alien and Delgado started to panic. He couldn't let the alien die. All his efforts would be wasted, and his last chance would be blown. He removed himself from the key panels as he held the vocal transmitter in his hand, having stood at the farthest end of the glass to be able to see what was happening inside.

He summoned a few soldiers to his aid. Fifteen minutes had passed since and there was still a lack of response from the alien, which affirmed his need to do a check face-to-face. Four men poured into the room hastily, guns raised. Cautiously, they approached the black mass on the floor, taking in the sight of its positioning. It was curled up in a foetal position, mouth agape. It was still not moving despite the ice crystals having melted, and the lead soldier dropped his gun to his side as he knelt before the Xenomorph to take a closer look.

Only the secretions and melted ice from the skin was dripping, and other than that there was not a single movement. The solider gave a careful nudge at the angle of its jaw to evoke a response. To the scientist’s dismay, 022 was dead.

Delgado let out a curse as he slammed his fist against the glass, gritting his teeth. Now, he was absolutely furious. His project would be officially shut down. All the years of effort would have been for naught, and he would have to face the board and all the other people involved. He was a failure. It was the worst possible outcome that could befall him. 

Or so he thought.

Out of the corner of his eyes, a small movement caught his attention. They widened slowly, stunned when he saw a barbed tail raise into the air in slow motion. The soldiers couldn't see because they were too focused prodding the alien's head.

It had been so hypnotic with a mild, elegant sway. The ridges between the tail sections widened and closed in a systematic fashion. The appendage unfurled from a curl with the tip angle at a near horizontal plane before it acted in a swift movement.

Red painted the one way mirror when a soldier’s body was being slammed against it. Delgado yelled in apprehension, taking in the sight of a large hole in the man’s chest. The body sliding down left a blood stain large enough to block the scientist's view. He couldn't see the interior, and it took him a few precious seconds to shake out of his panic to run to the key panel.

“Get out!” Delgado shouted through the intercom mic, but he could not receive any affirmative responses that his order was being heeded. All that echoed in the room was screeching of an alien and the screaming of dying men. He had no choice, and slammed the button that had the door shutting.

Everything ceased then and Delgado could only hear was his breathing.

Quickly, he turned to the side where the cameras were, eyes darting between the several screens. Each featured different angles of the room. His blood turned to ice when he realised that 022 was inside no longer. Only five dead bodies.

\------------

The scientist had been aggressively chewing on his pen that cracks had formed. Four hours had passed since the escape of the Xenomorph. During this time, the entire base was set on code red. All military personnel were informed of the internal threat and every one was on guard, actively searching the huge base carefully. They were looking out for any signs of it: the slime it would leave in its wake, or an unfortunate findings of a dead body. However, none of such clues appeared, and Delgado was getting frustrated.

If only a tracker could be implanted onto the Xenomorph, but it was impossible. Not with the acidic alien blood frying it.

Another hour and Delgado was losing his mind due to lack of signs from the alien.

“ _Sir!_ ” His intercom roared and the scientist swiped the transmitter, demanding a reply. “ _We had found traces of 022 in the bay lock. It leads outside. We believe that it is no longer in the base._ ”

Delgado slammed his fist against the panel he had been pressing against.

No, no. It shouldn’t have been this way. Based on prior research, the Xenomorphs would lurk behind to slowly pick at its enemies. _To get revenge._ They were always trying to prove that they were the superior species. So why wasn’t 022 doing the same?

“Where are you going, what are you trying to go,” he growled out, shuffling through his table of papers.

_Where. Where are you trying to go?_

Delgado’s eyes wandered across documents, readings and writings. As he shoved objects around, his hand hit a book that didn’t belong to him. He eyed it carefully, wondering why it was here. Then, he remembered. It was a notebook filled with written thoughts of a certain individual, and it had been confiscated before the owner's departure. Something in him snapped with realisation and Renald's words struck him like a cord.

_Of course, how could he have missed it?_

The man reached for his phone while making haste for the door.

\-------

11.32pm, and the doorbell rang.

“Coming!” Arius called out with a decent volume as he went to the doorway. Whoever it was outside hadn’t identified themselves, and he kept the latch on just in case. “Who’s that?”

“Arius, it’s me,” Oakley’s voice responded. Arius picked up a sense of urgency in his voice and undid the lock hastily, stepping away and allowed the soldier to enter.

Oakley gave thanks for the welcome, and closed the door behind him. It was odd to Arius that his friend would be outside the Empera Military Base, at this timing to boot.

“I’ll be quick because I’ve got to return to patrolling,” Oakley said when they were in the open living area. The empath picked up that he was nervous, and perhaps afraid?

“Oak, what’s wrong? And why would the military be doing patrols?” Arius questioned as he was made to sit on the couch. Oakley circled him from around the back and the brunette heard the other man pause right behind him.

“Six hours ago, it escaped.” The empath froze. “It… tricked people to get out.”

Arius stiffened upon hearing those words. His fingers interlocked and they tightened around his hands.

“How… I know Spike is intelligent but to trick people? I didn’t think he would be capable of baiting.”

“I heard it ‘played dead’,” the laugh from Oakley didn’t match the tone he used to speak. It was deeply concerning. “No idea where it learnt how to do that, but it worked. It made Delgado send some men into its compound and with the door wide open, it slipped through quicker than anyone could react. Then, it was gone. Delgado suspects that it’s coming for you.”

Arius jerked his head up and tilted in confusion. “But why would he?”

A frustrated sigh escaped his friend, “Delgado… reckons it’s planning to procreate.”

Hearing this, Arius had to give a laugh that failed to hide his discomfort. “That’s ridiculous. He’s not even human. How-”

“Delgado can’t explain the anomaly with 022. All he has figured out thus far is it’s unusual protective nature of you is probably linked to fact that you can communicate with it somewhat. A shared similarity, perhaps. It doesn’t take you for a human per say, but a potential mate.”

“But it’s impossible, right? I’m not female,” Arius sighed out, running his fingers through his hair.

“Their physiology works on an extremely different level. In a nutshell, they’re parasites. They take the biology of their host, and eventually, these hosts die.” Oakley took a deep breath, and silence filled the air. Arius’ fists tightened on his lap and he chewed on his lower lip. He was contemplating hard, wondering if he should let Oakley know…

The sudden loud beeping coming from Oakley gave Arius a jump scare, breaking his chain of thoughts. The former gave an apology quickly.

“Sir!” Oakley answered the call. “No… it’s not there. I have just been to O’Klein’s house and there is no sign of XH-022, or any form of indication that it was nearby… South bound? Roger.” Oakley reported through his intercom. As he spoke, he grabbed his friend’s hand, squeezing lightly in assurance. Arius tightened his grip lightly, returning the gesture of comfort. They had only let go once the call was done.

“It’s near, three miles out. Heavily forested zone, and they found reamins of dead campers so they reckon it might be around there,” Oakley started to make his way to the door, and Arius grabbed his arm frantically. The soldier faced him.

“Oak, I.... Just… be careful,” Arius said softly.

Oakley’s large hand landed on his shoulder and squeezed. He departed quickly after, and Arius let out the huge sigh that he has desperately suppressed in his chest.

Arius headed back to his room, and taking a step in his bare foot came in contact with something slimy. Arius couldn't even bring himself to react or even mind it. At the same time, he sensed a secondary presence approaching. A separate emotion completely different from his seeped into his mind, and brunette felt something long wrapped around his middle gently. The familiarity of it was the only thing that willed him to stay calm. Arius reached his hand out and was greeted by the sleek forehead of a Xenomorph.

“Good boy, you stayed quiet,” Arius whispered, stroking the smooth, albeit moist skin.

Spike crooned softly at the praise, rubbing his cheek against the side of Arius’ head. He gently nick at the side of the human’s neck with its blunt teeth; his way of showing affection.

Arius could feel his chest tighten as a dry sob gradually broke out. He could bottle his thoughts and fears no longer. His breath hitched as he slowly lowered himself to his knees, a hand clasped over his mouth. His entire body convulsed with every hitch of a breath, and he couldn’t even bring himself to respond to Spike nudging him at the side of his head, questioning the reason for his sorrow.

_Planning to procreate._

It was too late. Much too late

He didn't know what was inside him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I make up a lot of weird stuff in my head,


	7. Divide

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here you go, you sick alien perverts. The chapter you've been waiting for. Spike's POV, to boot. Hubba hubba. 
> 
> The entire chapter is practically a re-enacting of the entire story thus far, but in Spike's POV and the build up of his relationship with Arius. Just some notes before you begin: Spike addresses himself as 'he' in this POV. I know that Xenomorphs don't actually have a definite gender, but for reading sake I've used 'He' to refer to himself. This is because he actually calls Arius (and other humans if mentioned) 'it' instead. You'll sorta get the idea.

For several cycles, he had been waiting for an opportunity. Being shut in this enclosed space had angered him initially. He'd spent much of his time snarling at nothing, whilst clawing or tail-slapping against the sides of this tough cage. His violent tendencies were futile, and he learned of the fact quickly. Instead of wasting more energy, he settled down and kept his activity levels to a bare minimum.

He would find his escape in due time. He hardly moved, with an exception of taking a bite of the meat that dropped overhead. Being a fighter, he would not let hunger or stress kill him slowly. He considered slipping into a hibernative state. It would have been useful since even more energy could be conserved, and the hardened carapace would protect him from sustaining most damages. But that would mean that he would lose all form of awareness, and guaranteed no way out. Thus, he spent the cycles consciously staring at the image of what seemed to be himself, waiting.

It had been sudden, but one time, he sensed a being. It was completely different from the connection he had with his Queen. It was one, nevertheless. It piqued his interest. Whatever it was, it was capable of relaying some bizarre emotion he couldn't quite understand. And oddly enough, it came from a location right behind the fake image of him. He remembered throwing a fit because he was testing for a reaction.

The next time he sensed this connection, it had been on even stronger level once he was able to see what he seemed to have established a mental link with. It was yet another of those two-legged creatures that had captured and brought him here. However, this one looked not the least bit hostile. He took to it kindly, and approached with outmost curiosity.

Every cycle, he would see this peculiar two-legged that seemed to be relaying emotions to him. They were oddly calming. The sight of the other two-legged who wore white still angered him, but the other would take his attention away with soothing allure. It was a simple attraction he had towards this two-legged that made him ignore the white one eventually.

Once, he witnessed the peculiar two-legged being taken away by other creatures of his kind. He picked up on the urgency and was hissing. Shortly after, in the space he was shut in, an opening was revealed and instantly, he felt a re-connection with the unique two-legged. Stepping through, he got to meet the creature he had been sharing a bizarre relationship with. It was small, as expected, and he gave it a nudge in wonder to why it was on the ground unmoving.

The creature understood that he wasn't hostile. When his skin was touched, a different link seemed to have opened. He could almost understand this creature better, even capable of responding to a vocalised bidding without truly understanding. He enjoyed the small limbs that were stroking his skin gently in a comforting manner.

'Spike' was what this two-legged seemed to call. It existed even in the thoughts between them, and he came to a conclusion that it was referring to him. The reaction from the two-legged was always positive when he responded to 'Spike'. From then on, he continued doing so.

He had even stepped in to protect the creature from its own kind. It had been an instinctual act, as if guarding his hive. Subconsciously, he realised he was courting this unique two-legged creature that he could share fragmented thoughts with.

Under normal circumstances, it was unlikely he would act as such. However, cast alone in a foreign place, his main focus would be to create more of his kind. Given the environment he was in often, out in the wilderness and surrounded by danger, his class was never meant to evolve to a Queen. A high ranking guard at most, but his physiology disallowed him to be anything more. But biologically, he worked very, very differently.

Should he stumble upon a different hive, he had several decisions to work with. He could leave the clan untouched, merely keeping in mind the location of their nest. A second option was to return to his own, and initiate a clan war if deemed necessary. This would happen if food supplies were low and they could use one less competitor. The last option was a peculiar one only a scout like him could accomplish.

If he was willing to take the risk, he could infiltrate the nest. If he could make it to the Queen without being killed, he would be given the reward of seeding a Queen even if she was laying. It was an unwritten law of the Xenomorphs.

The process was unique - it was a combination of impregnation and insemination. He would engage the Queen with an orifice not connected to the eggsac, and she would grow a special class in a separate womb that would form post-mating. She would take a longer time to birth this young, but it was a safe process for her as there would be no death involved.

He knew what he could do. To ensure the survival of his species, he decided to make this special two-legged creature his mate.   
  


* * *

  
  
Whenever they met, he groomed and checked his newfound mate's body. There was no room for injuries or unwell. He'd croon and wrap a careful tail around his mate's body to ensure that he was not out of reach. He preserved the moments they were together, because it was the only time he could be sure his made was safe. He would've initiated the breeding ritual, but this was not the place he would choose to do so.

They were forced to be in this small space void of proper food and shelter. Other two-legged he deemed as enemies constantly surrounded them, watching. He had to ensure his mate was in a safe location before he would act otherwise. In the meantime, he would simply indulge in the time he had been with his mate, caring for the small, defenseless creature.  
  
Things had not gone well when his mate and he were met with a group other two-legged in a different location. He had chosen to acknowledge the first bidding his mate had given – to not attack, but stay. But when he felt the distress coming from it, accompanied with the resistance against other two-legged trying to pull it away, he snapped. He killed those in the immediate area, threatening the others with a loud hiss as he curled around his mate protectively.

They were separated after, as usual. Oddly enough, his mate had not come to see him for several cycles. He'd pace, growl, and snarl in displeasure at the absence. Once in a while, he'd lash his powerful whip tail against the wall to show his impatience. Nothing happened, still. Not until _then_.   
  
A two-legged in white stood in place of his mate. He could not feel the connection he would normally have; it was void of emotions. It puzzled him at first, but when he saw a familiar hand gesture that beckoned him, he didn't think much of it. Maybe the white thing adorning his mate was disallowing the emotions to be relayed. It hadn't mattered. All that did was that his mate was right before him, safe. He crooned, leaning into the touch, albeit feeling different because of the white coating.   
  
The calamity did not last long when he realised that this two-legged was an imposter by scent. He had marked his mated, and his olfactory senses were very strong to pick up on the difference. There was no hesitation in killing the fake. In fact, he screeched in anger, lasting long and furious. Agony was bestowed upon him in the form of a chill, and ironically, it burned his skin. It was painful, but the sensation was different from receiving physical injuries. Eventually, he collapsed, feeling chilled to the bone. He was sure he had fallen unconscious as well.   
  
He heard shuffling. He felt a slight nudge to his side. There was a commotion happening around him, and he slowly woke to it. When he was conscious enough, he could see the opening that his mate would enter and leave. He could see his only escape. This was his chance.

He remained unmoving for a while, taking in the sight of many two-legged surrounding him. They were unaware of his tail that had moved, creeping slowly towards its first victim. When he struck, his body rose at the same time, and a battle cry echoed the tiny space. The small creatures around him started to respond to his awakening, and begun to vocalise their displeasure.

Within the small space, they were helpless. He was faster and stronger despite the numbers. They had not used the objects in their hands and were too focused on trying to flee. It became his advantage. He took the chance to pounce and strike, pounce and strike... One which made it through the opening was pulled back by his powerful tail, gifted with his tip speared through the middle.

He wasted no time, as tempted as he was to stand his ground and give a screech of victory. His large but sleek build crept out at an alarming rate and he ripped through a structure above with his claws, finding a pathway that was clustered with horizontal tubes.

With the stealth of a predator, he sauntered through the tight foreign spaces, remembering every corner he took. He avoided all two-legged, as tempting as it was to drop on the ones which were solo. While his instincts were screaming at him to prove his superiority, he had another priority.

He had to find his mate.   
  
It took a while, but he managed to find his way out. In the open space, he could finally pick up on his mate's mental state without lesser hindrance. It was similar to that with his Queen.

The distance between them wasn't as far as he had thought; the distances he traveled away from his nest was greater. His mate was calm, which was a good sign. He set out immediately, trekking through the unfamiliar terrain with his mental wit as his guide. On the way to his mate's, he stumbled upon two of the creatures in the woods. He killed them without hesitation and moved on after a mouthful of flesh as sustenance.   
  
When he exited the heavily forested grounds, he was met with bizarre structures, resembling well-shaped rocks. They were blocks side by side, but placed a fair distance apart. Using the darkness as camouflage, he sauntered his way to the place where his mate was. When he was close enough, he sensed a change in his mate's emotion. It was mixed with shock and elation. His mate stepped into view and was leaning out an opening high up, and seemed puzzled.   
  
"Spike?" His name was called out. He responded with a soft croon.   
  
With a single, strong bound, he made it to the opening, clutching his strong digits around the edges. His mate was taken aback, falling backwards at the sudden impact when his large physique had accidentally bumped against it. He gave a soft, apologetic drawl as he slipped through the small opening, entering a warm space that had a few unknown objects. It seemed cozy and safe enough. This was ideal.   
  
"Spike, how...?" His mate voiced out from where it was collapsed on the ground. A hand reached out and he shifted forward, greeting with a nudge using his jaw. He didn't understand the vocals, but the emotions told him that his mate was still confused. It hadn't mattered. All that did now was that he had found his mate, healthy and unharmed.   
  
His mate gave a noise showing his surprise when he shoved himself face-first into the smaller body. He growled slightly, finding that there was the odd material the two-legged seemed to adorn. He was sure that it not his mate's real skin. With an impatient set of teeth, he seized the material and ripped it off, earning a surprised shout.   
  
"Spike,stop!" Hands grabbed the sides of his cheek, and even though he was more than capable of overpowering his smaller mate, he didn't. Instead, he froze when he picked up an unwanted emotion. He sensed fear coming from his mate, and his intention wasn't to scare. He was not going to cause any harm.

"Why are you doing this?" His mate uttered, while the digits on his face started to tremble. They slipped off slowly and his mate covered its face. "What... is this smell..."   
  
He had been releasing pheromones to entice his mate, coupled with an intoxicating hormone to subdue his mate. Had he been with a Queen, it would've made her passive, thus allowing him to inseminate her without the dangers of being hurt or killed.

He was sure that it was working when his mate fell limp to the ground, on its side. Digits were clutching the furry material what covered some of the floor. He took the chance to sniff his mate, taking in the foreign scent he had become accustomed to. It was different, but not unpleasant, and he'd come to indulge in it.

He managed to push up a material that wasn't his mate's skin, observing the smooth, cream color that was a big contrast to his black. He gently nibbled, and his mate was shuddering in response. Yes, this was its skin.

Growling in satisfaction, he seek out his mate's lower half, nudging about carelessly. His mate had turned on its side and was giving yelps as it tried to push his head away weakly. A futile attempt, but he wasn't going to be upset. Resistance was normal in the beginning. He only needed to wait a little for the pheromones to completely placate his mate.

It wasn't long before his mate was a boneless heap, unable to move on their own accord. His long digits hooked the edges of the material covering the lower limbs and carefully peeled them after a moment's exploration. His mate was showing signs of discomfort, but lacked the strength to resist. With his snout, he nudged a limb aside, revealing an appendage that would have been similar to his.

It indicated he was male, but that was fine. His species never depended on their victim's gender to reproduce. His class was the only exception that had an external organ.

“Spike, stop, please,” his mate was uttering. He could sense its distress and fear. He crooned to keep it calm as his tail wrapped around the middle of its body.

Carefully, he maneuvered around the small form while holding it in place. He shifted so that he laid on his lower back, taking his mate to settle on top of him, lower limbs forced to be on either side of his larger body. He had his mate positioned over his lower region where an obscure slit opened, and a specialised organ poked out. He groaned as it erected from the slit. The feeling was new, having not used this appendage before.

His mate was flushed red with skin gleaming with a thin sheen of moisture. One of its hands was clasping along the length of his tail. The the other had gripped the arm that had his hand curled around his back. It was nervous, but there was an unmistakable lust underneath. Whether or not it was due to the pheromones he released, it mattered no longer.

With precision, he lowered his mate onto his reproductive organ. Both of them let out a hiss, albeit different. His mate was digging what was the equivalent to claws into his tail and limb, but he barely felt it through his thickened skin. He was simply groaning at the heat around his appendage that inched into the small body. His natural slime coating allowed him to enter with only the tightness as an obstacle.

His mate fell into laboured breathing, and pain was registered through its emotions. He crooned in attempt to calm the unsettled. His teeth lightly grazed the skin of his mate's neck as he coaxed the small body to take in more of his organ. Eventually, he was completely buried in the warm body.

He did not wait. He started to thrust into his mate's body, relishing any friction made. His mate was letting out soft cries, but not out of agony. It was oddly pleasant to hear the wrangled voice he could not understand. In fact, he was urged on, and he repeatedly impaled the small body that readily accepted him.   
  
His mate had reached around its front, grasping its own smaller organ. It started to stroke with a quick pace while its jaw hung open and panting. Whatever his mate was doing was causing its body to tighten around him even more, priming orgasm. The small body was gyrating in an erratic fashion on his black body, and it was an alluring sight to see, thought for him, it had been nothing more than interesting.

He was not bothered the least when a white string of liquid was sprayed onto his body. His thrusts didn't cease. It had only accelerated, and the build up of tension in his lower regions hit its peak as his organ started to swell mildly at the base.

He let out a sound that was caught between a hiss and a screech. He forced himself to bury deep into his mate as he released. It let out a choked gasp before hunching forward. He took the chance to bite the back of its neck as an euphoric gesture.

His mate was recovering its breath and seemed to have given up using its strength to hold itself up. It collapsed on his body, and the weight was surprisingly comfortable. He released his jaw and started to pamper the small creature, nudging and caressing with his face. His mate evidently winced when he detached their bodies at the point they were connected.   
  
It was done. Now, his second goal was to keep his mate safe. It would take longer than the usual gestation, and he had to ensure it was comfortable. He would start making this area into a nest, and kill anything that would threaten the safety of his mate and his offspring.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do apologise if seeing a full chapter from Spike's POV is weird. I'm trying to keep things in a very... 'alien' manner, in the sense that he would not use bombastic/certain words to keep descriptions very general. If it gets a little confusing, I'm really sorry for that too. 
> 
> I was playing around a lot with the whole 'breeding' concept, taking in mutations similar to that in Resurrection. I'm sorta glad I got to weasel my way out with this chapter with hopefully, some plausible fan-made biological explanation. 
> 
> Ah hell, this is fanfiction. We get to do what we want! That means weird alien smex! I'm sorry for not going into details. I actually don't know how to haha.
> 
> I plan to watch Covenant. I miss seeing the cuties in the cinema. 
> 
> PS. I highly doubt Arius had sex before this lul. Poor dude, loosing his V to a Xeno lmao. Oh well. I like abusing my characters.


	8. Alien

Arius hadn't realised that he had fallen asleep. He raised his body abruptly, sitting as his hands fumbled about. The feeling the sheets under his palm gave him a sense of relief. He let out a small sigh, admiring the odd color of the blanket.

He stiffened. For the first time in his life, there was an image projected in his head. It was surreal. He was sure his vision remained gone, yet images of his surrounding seemed to be registered into his mind, but in a haze. Colours, it seemed, were unclear and fuzzy. He couldn't identify them, but he could almost make out the shapes and forms.

The neural influx was so great that it made Arius dizzy and uncoordinated, and he felt like a newborn forced to be upright. In order not to keel over, he supported himself with a hand planted on the bed, while the other clasped the side of his head.

No matter what he did, the images didn't go away. He couldn't make it go away. It was a constant feed to his brain, and it was taking a toll on him mentally.

A croon sounded next to him, but it sounded like rumbling thunder. He recognised it nevertheless, and he turned his head. For the first time, he could see Spike physically.

Arius hadn't meant to give a surprised shout when a set of menacing teeth was mere inches from his face. He leaned away from it, nearly falling onto his back due to the imbalance.

The Xenomorph seemed to pay no heed, only inching forward and placing hiss face dangerously close to Arius' abdomen, to which the latter swallowed. His lips furled slightly, observing for a few seconds before turning away swiftly.

The empath watched Spike retreat away on fours, crawling towards odd, dark-colored substances that seemed to be littered all over the room. Arius was sure his breath hitched at the sight of what used to be his room. Black substance was coating the walls from ceiling to floor, forming a web of some sort. The material was slimy, almost moist looking. Spike seemed to be tending to it, and some part of Arius told him that this was the alien's way of creating their nest.

Arius had to collapse back onto the bed on his side when he felt a splitting headache make itself known. The sudden neural input to his brain was starting to take a toll, and he gritted his teeth. He didn't know how this was happening, considering he didn't have the necessary organs for sight. His breathing was shallow as he tried to calm himself.

A low growl sounded and Arius could sense Spike's worry over him. The Xenomorph had returned to his side again, bringing its face close. Arius could see him clearer now; a set of silver human-like teeth with exceptionally long canines. The rounded carapace dome glinted with the under the lighting of the room. Briefly, he wondered how many hours had passed since he slept.

Despite the sight of something so alien before him, Arius remained unusually calm, save the moment he woke. Spike was just as calm, un-threatening and even showing concern. It was almost endearing, and Arius couldn't even bring himself to be scared once again.

He reached out, caressing the side of Spike's jawline. Whatever this creature had done to him, it had changed him. It was embarrassing, and frankly rather shameful, to remember what had happened some time ago – to have mated with another species. He knew it was a revolting and disgusting act, but he felt no regret. Somehow, he was granted some form of sight, despite the oddity of it, and he was growing to be fond of it despite the pains.

Spike was crooning at the touches, and he nudged forward, pressing his large carapace into Arius' middle. That was when the human noticed something odd on his lower abdomen. Fingers reached lower and he felt a small, but firm bump. Being a relatively slim individual, the slight bulge was unusual, and Arius felt his blood turn cold.

The Xenomorph must've put it there. He didn't know how, but he knew something was growing. Something inhuman, probably turning out to be what Spike was. It scared him, since he didn't know what to expect.

Was he going to die? Should he seek help from Oakley? Or with someone who was more experienced with the alien species, namely Delgado?

The latter thought didn't sit well with Arius. The scientist was up to something. It pained him to know that Spike shouldn't exist around here, but it was a fact. Whatever he was, he was better off where he was found. He existed there, and not here, for a reason.

Arius sighed out. How did he end up in a situation like this, anyway.

Spike broke his chain of thoughts when he climbed onto the bed. Arius didn't bother moving, trusting that the Xenomorph wouldn't hurt him the least.

The large form curled around the smaller one, spooning against him comfortably despite having a physical structure that was near skeletal. Spike's large head was conveniently planted near Arius', and the empath could reach out and stroked the ridged jawline. Spike was giving a low croon again that put Arius at ease, comfortable even with the dangerous looking tail coiled around one of his legs.

It was comforting to have another presence in this usually lonely room. Arius wasn't able to receive affection outside his family due to his disability, as well as his ability. Because he could sense other people's emotions, he had subconsciously put most of them at a distance. In a manner, he could have been afraid. He was afraid of his own being.

Spike's presence was different, since they could read each other alike. It wasn't perfect, but it was enough. The way emotions were being relayed between them was clear enough; readable. Arius was comfortable both mentally and physically around the Xenomorph, and it was evident the other way as well.

It felt nice to have another by his side as he slept.

* * *

Arius woke with a start for the second time that night, not realising that he had fallen asleep again. It was to the sound of Spike hissing dangerously near by his ear. The Xenomorph was riled up, feeling threatened and thus defensive, whilst curling around his body. It took Arius a moment to figure out what had set the alien off: footsteps.

Not just one set, but multiple, heavy crunching boots. Arius felt his blood turn cold. He didn't need to guess that the military was here. The shuffling noises indicated that they were either approaching or already surrounding his house, armed. He wasn't sure how they knew, but they had found out the Spike was residing in his home.

In a heartbeat, Spike had left his side, leaping onto the carpeted floor with feline grace and silence. Arius sat, viewing the open window with a hazed vision without a word, as Spike sauntered towards it. Alike a spider, he crept out the opening and headed in the direction of the roof. He could sense the Spike's determination in defending the nest; he won't stop him.

Inside, he hoped that the military would leave them alone. He didn't want Spike to be captured and placed back in confinements. He didn't want to be separated again.

Alas, he knew it was impossible. Spike was too large a threat to be allowed running around. If the military found out what was inside him, he doubted they would let him free either.

Without his awareness, a soft hiss was escaping under his breath. It sounded nothing close to human, and he clasped his mouth. Something was truly happening with his body.

Several screams and gunfire startled Arius out of his state and he reflexively surveyed his surrounding. Naturally, nothing in his room was remotely of a threat, but he knew Spike was causing havoc in his ways. He had no interest in finding out, but he remembered that his friend was among the military soldiers. Oakley was still a friend he wished well for.

Frantically, he scrambled for the door, and with the pseudo-vision, he could make his way out in the quickest speed he could ever muster – down the stairs, unlocking his front door and bursting through it. His vision was assaulted by bright lights and he cowered from it, raising his arms reflexively. It burned his vision, but he persisted and tried to sneak looks between his fingers. Military trucks with large lights had been facing his doorway, causing him to be momentarily blinded.

There were barricades, indicating that his neighbours were probably evacuated from the site. No personnel were here, probably out to put the Xenomorph down in a different location. He glanced about as he ran barefooted, finding it bizarre that he could actually 'see' - his neighbour's houses, the cars parked along the streets, the fences that divided homes...

When he rounded the corner, he saw what he dreaded to see: Spike was attacking and killing the soldiers with his tail and teeth. Green blotches were evidently dripping on various parts of his body, to which Arius deemed to be the alien's blood. It didn't seem too serious because Spike was scuttling like a rat, too quick for the few soldiers to properly aim at.

On the other hand, the amount of redness that carpeted the grass was even more terrifying, and it nearly made him vomit from the clogging metallic scent.

In his distraction, he heard someone yell "Get him!" before he was being tackled to the ground. Arius cried out as his chest impacted the ground, thankful that the soil and grass broke the fall a little. He struggled as strong hands grabbed his arms and forced it behind him. The angle had been excruciating and he gasped in anguish. More than that, there was a sudden concern for his growing young that was being crushed under the weight of the man seated against his lower back. Caught in the haze of panic to protect himself, he hadn't even realised that the simple yell he wanted to do came out as an odd sounding screech.

"Quiet-" "Look out!!!" The shouting were simultaneous.

All Arius could register was that he was relieved of the man's weight just as Spike's own screech deafened him. He glanced up in time to see the soldier being flung to the side, a large gaping hole through his chest.

Spike was crouched protectively over him, hissing at the handful of soldiers who had their guns raised, fingers ready on the trigger. The only thing holding them back was the possibility of misfiring – should the acidic blood fall on human, or worse, shooting the wrong target.

“Arius!” A voice recognisable called out. It was Oakley, and Arius got himself back on his feet after slipping out from under Spike. The Xenomorph was still prioritising his safety, keeping close and displaying a dangerous set of teeth, along with what seemed to be an inner jaw extending.

Oakley came into sight. It was the first time Arius could physically see what his friend looked like, and he was stunned. The soldier had his gun left to hang at his side by the strap. His hands were raised, opting for a non-threatening stance as he approached the two. Spike's tail was instantly raised, pointing at the human's direction, and a loud growl served as a warning.

“Arius, we have to get him back to base, you know that don't you?”

“I...” The empath uttered. He knew, but he couldn't. He couldn't subject Spike to return to the small space that was hardly big enough for a creature his side. He couldn't let Spike return to being an experiment.

Said individual was growling and spitting angrily, as if simply awaiting for his acknowledgement to kill. Spike's tail had already curled around him protectively, and Arius reached out to touch the dorsal tubes that grew between the Xenomorph's shoulders.

Spike can't run. It was impossible. His Xenomorph will forever want to return to his side in order to protect him and the young, which meant all the military had to do was to hold him hostage. He couldn't make a disadvantage to them. The only way they could tear free from this hunt was if the one in charge was dead.

Arius gritted his teeth.

 _Go, leave._ He projected through his mind and through his touch. _I'll be fine. Go._

Spike was hissing, dissatisfied at the instruction he was given that was completely opposite of what he hoped for. His mate was of the most importance, next to the young he carried. His life, on the other hand, was expendable. It was his duty; his purpose up to the very last breath.

_Find me._

The Xenomorph let out an angry screech before releasing his tail's grip and leaping away from Arius' side. All the soldiers were taken aback by the sudden movement of the Xenomorph, some even shouting a surprise. Spike bounded straight for the trees, never once stopping to look back as his tail whipped the darkness.

“Shoot!” Someone from the squad ordered.

“No!” The empath threw himself forward and grabbed the gun of the person who issued the order.

The man snapped, giving Arius a good shove to the ground. “Back off,” he snarled at the brunette, before raising his gun.

Arius gritted his teeth, collecting himself on his feet before lunging one more.

The subsequent events had happened too quickly. Arius sighted the handle of a pocket knife at the soldier's utility belt. While the man was firing his gun, distracted, he swiped the knife out of the pocket, thrusting himself forward and plunging the blade into the guy's chest. Without hesitation, without conscience.

Everyone's eyes were on him only when they heard a gurgled sputter, followed by a body falling to the ground with a thud.

Arius had his head tilted down at the man's body. The soldier's brown eyes was staring back at his face in disbelief. Fear and anguish was perceived. He merely took a step away; away from the man's trembling hand that was trying to reach out to him for help. But Arius found that couldn't care to give any for that.

* * *

“...How did the military find out?” Arius whispered softly as he was being cuffed. The metal was cold against his skin, but it didn't matter much. It was a question that was on his mind every since he knew the military had set up around his home.

Around him, half the military squad was tending to the injured or dead, while the other proceeded to continue the hunt for the rogue Xenomorph. Oakley took charge of Arius, having the small faith that his friend wouldn't attack him like that. It hurt him to have to restrain the normally passive empath, but Arius' actions had him stunned. Never in his life would he have expected the compassionate individual to hurt anyone, much less kill them.

Oakley had his lips pressed tightly together. He took a few moments, as if considering his words carefully before replying: “You had an unusual bite mark at the back of your neck.”

The brunette digested the information he was told. “Oh,” was all that came from him. Arius knew that Spike had bitten when they had...

“I'm sorry,” Oakley said. Remorse was flooding through his system, and it didn't take much for Arius to feel it. He could understand the reason for Oakley's actions. In the end, the man was a soldier who had to fulfill his duty.

Arius shook his head. “You're doing what you have to. I'm not holding it against you.”

“Honestly, all Delgado had wanted initially was the Xenomorph. Unfortunately, the stunt you pulled just now warrants an arrest on you.” A sigh escaped Oakley. The taller individual leaned in close, speaking softly. “I'm with you, Arius. I'll try my best to get you out of this mess, but you have to promise to cooperate with the military.”

A nod was the response.

Oakley escorted Arius to the back of a military truck, probably using it as a make-shift police transport. He was locked up in the spacious back of the vehicle. It was probably meant for Spike, but since the Xenomorph had escaped, they placed him in his stead. Arius chose to plant himself on the ledge-like seat provided, letting his cuffed wrists lay on his lap.

Through a small glass window, he saw two individuals enter the driver and passenger's seats. He didn't know either, which meant Oakley was in another vehicle.

The truck was started up and they headed back for Espera Military Base. The ride was quiet, with not a single rider speaking. The only sounds that resonated was the groaning of the truck's engine, and an occasional crunching of stone on the roads.

With nothing to do, he could only observe the visual texture that his odd vision gave him. By then, he had adapted to it, and no headaches followed any more. He found traces of blood on his hand belonging to the soldier he had killed out of impulse. Another small patch that was green instead was on his lower arm, probably Spike's when the Xenomorph was protecting him overhead.

Arius turned away, thinking nothing more of it.

In the back of his mind, he could sense Spike. The Xenomorph was never far from him, probably too concerned to truly leave him alone. Back even when he was being cuffed, he could feel the Xenomorph's presence in the shadows. Now, Spike was in the near distance, following. Not too closely, but surely. Arius had confidence that Spike would be able to find him no matter what.

Arius was mildly startled when he felt movement near his wrist. He peered at the driver and the passenger, ensuring that they weren't looking through the window. Discreetly, he shifted his hand. It was a little difficult with the handcuffs, but he managed to rest his palm on the spot where his young grew situated in his abdomen. Surprisingly, it was slightly bigger already, active and well despite what it had gone through.

A smile graced his lips.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Arius is starting to turn a little less human, it seems. Let me know how you feel about this :)
> 
> So I've finally gotten around to watching Alien Covenant. I have rather mixed feelings about it.


	9. Caged

It wasn't quite nostalgia that Arius felt when he could hear the familiar machinery and mechanisms inside Espera Military Base. Where he sat in the back of the truck, unattended due to the absence of the driver and the passenger, he observed his surrounding through his smell and hearing. The rumble of engines and the pattering of rubber on cemented floor seemed almost foreign to him. They reverberated through his head like an orchestra, and normally, he wouldn't care less. But now, these sounds were screaming danger to him – that it wasn't safe for him. The smell of other people (it seemed stronger?) and metal made him internally flinch.

Arius almost laughed at himself at how he thought a highly secured place seem threatening to him now. Every sound, whether he could identify or not, made him anxious. He could hear the soldiers clanking about with their gears, perhaps with someone giving orders. They started to surround the vehicle he was in. His fingers curled but remained on his lap, obedient. When the doors to the back of the truck opened, he had to grimace and turn away at the sudden light that blinded the pseudo-vision he had come to possess.

He still had no idea how his 'sight' worked. It seemed to only go away if he fell unconscious. So far, he concluded that bright light was not pleasant to this odd vision. Where he could 'see', everything was still hazy and blurred, but he could make out shapes.  
  
Two soldier entered the back of the truck and grabbed him by the shoulders. He allowed himself to be steered out, albeit roughly. Briefly, he wondered what the military would do to him as he was being escorted into the belly of the military base. As far as he knew, he would definitely be charged with homicide. It wasn't his intention; it just happened. Oddly enough, he still couldn't bring himself to regret it.  
  
Arius was brought into a small room that had a single table and a single chair. An interrogation room, perhaps? Roughly, he shoved in the direction of the seat. Now, directly under the bright lighting above, he had to reach out carefully and came in contact with the table first. Slowly, he found the chair proper and settled. He was left alone then.

Arius sat quietly in the room. It seemed to be soundproof, and his connection with Spike had been temporarily severed the moment he entered Espera Military Base. At least, he hoped it was only temporary. The Xenomorph was either too far away, or maybe the thick walls of the structure hindered their link. It was unsettling, but he found himself being able to trust that Spike would not give up on finding him. He pondered for a moment, wondering if it was a move he should have taken.

Ever since _that_ happened, Arius couldn't help but notice things changing about him. Not just physically, but mentally as well. It was starting to scare him.

The metal door hissed opened sharply, startling Arius out of his thoughts. He didn't move. It was hard to fake his blindness when he could 'see' now. He still hasn't figured out how it worked entirely.

“O'Klein,” Delgado's voice greeted him. The presence of the scientist made Arius bristle. Unwittingly, the word 'danger' came to his mind. He leaned into his seat, with any fraction of increased distance between them being comforting.  
  
“I must say, I'm pretty disappointed for someone from the health industry actually causing harm. It's rather ironic, isn't it.”

Arius opened his mouth, about to retort when he paused to re-think his intention. There wasn't a need to defend himself, but neither did he owe an explanation. His act of protecting Spike was a witnessed fact, and there was nothing else to justify it. Perhaps, if he had time to consider his actions, he could have acted out differently that didn't end the soldier dead.  
  
“Have you sunk so low that you're siding the monster?” This had Arius twitching a finger.  
  
“Who exactly are the real monsters here?” The empath spoke calmly. He'd keep his head up, if it weren't for the light in the room that was affecting his vision. “You took him from his home. You tried to make him your pet, when you know truly well he was out of your league. You punish him for doing something that is in his nature. If anything, _you're_ the monster here, Delgado.”

Arius could only register a sudden seething hatred directed his way, coupled with the stomping of shoes before a loud _slap_ resonated in his head.

Arius let out a sharp gasp of pain when he collapsed to the floor, having stumbled off his chair when a force hit his cheek came unexpectedly. He found himself viewing the dusty ground, registering the searing ache in his cheek. Coppery taste filled his mouth, and he grimaced.  
  
“Despite everything, you're still defending it, I see. It was a very grave mistake on my part for letting you work with it. Your unique ability is such a waste, since you are a betrayer of mankind. A _freak_ like you and a _monster_ like that shouldn't exist. But perhaps that is why you both get along so well.”

The empath's chest tightened. His fingers curled where they were pressed on the floor. He knew he shouldn't let Delgado's words affect him, but it hurt, nevertheless. The scientist's words weren't new to him; he'd had his own fair share of shaming and ostracizing when he was younger, much meeker and unable to defend himself. It was different now as an adult, but as an empath he could tell when someone still kept him at a distance. And in return, so had he.

Footsteps announced the arrival of other soldiers, probably the two who had been his escort prior. Delgado ordered them to take him away. Where to, he couldn't be sure. His shoulders did tremble when he heard Delgado exit, muttering that he'll 'deal with him later'.

Someone closed in on him just as Arius tried to get up on his own. The soldier grabbed his lower arm and hauled him up roughly to his feet.

“Come on, we're putting you in the cell until Delgado decides what to do with you,” the soldier who seized Arius gruffed out. It seemed like the scientist held his fate in the palm of his hand, and Arius gritted his teeth at that fact. He was about to reply when the soldier suddenly yelped and removed his grip. It took the empath by surprise when the man backed away, having grasped his own wrist and crying out in what seemed to be pain. “It burns! It fuckin' burns!”  
  
Panic flooded the room as the second soldier flanked the first one. Up-turning the hand, the man's glove had dissolved a hole, and the surrounding material seemed to be melting. Frantically, the second man came to his aid, removing the accessory and everyone in the room was shocked to a coin-sized third-degree burn eating into his palm.  
  
“What the hell happened?!” Delgado returned, and narrowed his gaze at the soldier who was wailing. He caught sight of the injury that was sickeningly familiar.

The scientist stomped over and turned to face Arius for an answer. The empath merely had a stunned look on his face, not knowing what had just occurred. He jumped when Delgado grabbing his elbow and pulled roughly, forcing him to straighten his arm into extension.

“This is Xenomorph blood,” Delgado growled out at the sight of green smudged on the skin. “Xenomorph blood is highly acidic and should have burned a hole through your limb by now.”  
  
Arius was puzzled. He knew nothing of the alien's physiology. He didn't know that Spike's blood was able to do such damage. But clearly, it was evident that he was not affected by the blood, whereas the soldier before him had his palm seared to the bone.  
  
“What did you do!?” Delgado yelled angrily grabbing Arius by the shoulders. The empath was shocked at the sudden rage and disbelief directed his way. The menace in the tone and action made him flinch away reflexively.  
  
“I didn't do anything,” Arius seethed out through gritted teeth. It _was_ the truth, after all. He tested the boundaries in attempt to shy away from the other, but the vice grip held him in place.  
  
“Something must have happened,” the scientist snapped at the unsatisfactory answer as he shoved the empath away. He turned to the uninjured soldier. “Get him to the infirmary, then this _thing_ to the lab,” he barked the order. As soon as an affirmative was received, all the military personnel left the room, leaving Arius locked inside the interrogation room.

Where Arius was left standing, he clutched a shoulder that Delgado had grabbed tighter with his dominant hand. It was nothing more than a lingering ache. Finding that he could do nothing more, he returned to being seated on the given chair. Idly, he brushed his hand against the stains on his lower arm, taking whatever remained of Spike's blood. Curiously, he smeared it on the table before him, and could heard the audible sizzling of something dissolving. It sounded like firecracker in his ears. It was pleasing.

 

* * *

  
_  
“Vital signs are within human limits. Bloodwork unremarkable. ”_

 ** _...._**  
  
“Do an ultrasound to check if there are any organ abnormalities.”

**Close.**

“ _Thoracic cavity negative.”_  
  
**Too close.**

_“Sir, there's a... foreign object in the abdomen. It looks like a... is that an embryo?”_

**Stay away.**  
  
_“His heart rate is increasing drastically-”_  
  
_“He's waking up!”_  
  
_“That's impossible! The dosage we gave him should at least knock him out for another four hours!”_

 _“Pin him- KUGH”_  
  
_“Get him off !”_  
  
_“Ready another shot of sedatives! Now!”_  
  
_“Get-!”_

* * *

  
  
Arius had gotten used to telling the difference being 'conscious' and 'unconscious'. His odd, hazy vision registered the image of a plain wall directly opposite to where he woke. He had been dumped on a bed, and he tilted his head upwards. At the head of the bed were cell bars, and before it an empty chair. Perhaps for the guard who would watch over him. Instantly, he sat up, hand reaching for the spot where he last checked the growing young was. Thankfully, it was fine. If anything, it was bigger.  
  
His thoughts jumpstarted. He remembered a doctor entering the interrogation room. He had been resisting for a while before a needle was stuck into his arm. No doubt, it had been a sedative, and it had knocked him out instantly. But other than this, he could recalled nothing else.  
  
Arius clutched his head, feeling a headache make itself known. There were fleeting images in his memory, but they were too unclear to be made sense of. He remembered seeing medical equipment, doctors... _blood_. He glanced at his free hand and wondered why his nails seemed to itch. That was when it occurred to him that there were red stains at the tips of his digits. The coppery smell was tell-tale to what it actually was.

_What in the world happened?_

The sound of approaching footsteps took his attention away, and the sliding door to the room holding the cell hissed opened. Arius bristled at the figure by the doorway, but not a second later he realised that it was a familiar individual. He sighed out his name, in relief even.

Oakley walked up to the bars without hesitance, and took a seat on the chair provided. "They sent me to talk to you in hopes that we can work something out."

Arius had to give a dry laugh in response. Delgado seemed to have a thing for sending a middle-man. Had he not learnt his lesson by now?

"Before that... what happened?" His head lowered, and his fingers flexed. The blood left a caking feeling on his skin, and a coppery scent surprisingly not unpleasant for his nose.

“Apparently, whilst on the medical table, you woke earlier than the sedatives were meant to knock you out for. The very first thing you did, while subconsciously it seemed, was to dig your nails into the nearest doctor's throat. It was strong enough that you pierced through his neck and you essentially gutted him there.”

Arius inhaled deeply and nodded at the information given. Once again, he found himself hurting another. The worse part? He still didn't feel remorse. It was as if the soldier deserved to be put down because he intended to hurt Spike; how retaliating against a doctor, who had knocked him out against his will, was appropriate.

He clenched his fists, wondering if this bizarre violent tendencies of his would cease. This _wasn't_ like him. Thinking that he shouldn't care about people's lives _wasn't_ empathic.

Arius recalled the reason for being here in the first place. It was a fleeting thought of having Spike do away with Delgado, who had been the root of the problem. How could he even fathom to think such a thing? He had live his life helping people, aiding and saving them from others or themselves. He was not a person who inflicts violence, or worse, condone murder.

 _I'm losing myself._  
  
Oakley stood up from the chair and walked over. “There's going to more problems for you. Delgado has your medical testing and records, and he has sent them to the board. From what I heard, a few higher ups in charge, together with the two sponsors, will be here within the next twenty-four hours. To meet you, I presume.”

That was last thing the brunette wanted. Out of urgency, he reached out and clutched the bars, leaning forward as far as he could.

“Oak, you have to get me out of here,” Arius said, exasperated. “Please, Spike will come here for me, and he'll kill anyone who stands in his way.” _He'll kill you._  
  
“You know I can't do that,” Oakley gritted his teeth. He didn't mean to get worked up, and he settled himself by crossing arms. He chewed the inside of his cheek, trying to word himself carefully in order not to get caught on recording. The corner of the room had a camera watching their every move.  
  
Arius lowered his head, defeated. He knew Oakley couldn't turn against his company. It had been immoral of him to get his friend to commit treason, just like what he supposedly he had done. He shouldn't have even suggested Oakley to help him. He cannot pull Oakley down with him. 

“You... can see somehow, can't you?” The sudden change in topic caught Arius off-guard, and the empath lifted his head.

“How did you...?”  
  
“A few oddities,” Oakley continued, rubbing the back of his neck. Awkwardness rolled off him, but he continued: “You've told me before that you completely lack the necessary organs, but I've noticed that your movements have been exceptionally precise. You were able to intercept a soldier firing a gun, grab and stab him with a knife, no less. You were able to grab the cell bars without even reaching out to check if they were there. And I'm not sure if you're aware of it, but your head follows every direction I've been moving.”

Arius was startled by how Oakley had it figured out. Though frankly, he was impressed by his friend's observational skills. He hadn't even realised he was being tested, and he lowered his head in embarrassment. It was then he realised that these people keeping him here probably knew about him more than he knew himself. This scared him.  
  
“Next, Delgado had specifically shared a few reports to me, saying that your visual cortex and auditory circuits are extremely different from a normal person's. It might be contributed to the fact that you've been blind all the while, but something triggered a change in the neurological system.”

The empath sighed. As his friend spoke, the urgency in his tone started to grow. He could tell Oakley wanted him to speak from his own mouth to confirm the suspicions. It was endearing, if not a silly notion to consider.

Delgado was right. At this point, he was truly a freak.

"I'm not... Oak, I'm probably not human anymore. Either that, or I'm definitely become less human. I'm getting thoughts I shouldn't have; I'm losing emotions that I'm supposed to feel, as a person. Whatever's happening right now, I feel it, _know_ it, that eventually I'm not even going to recognise you anymore." Arius clutched his head and let out a pained sigh.

"The speculation is that whatever's inside you is causing your physiology to shift to a Xenomorph's. Let the doctors and Delgado take it out. Maybe it'll reverse the process-"

The mere suggestion of it terrified Arius instantly as he pulled back away from the bars. "No! I'm not letting... _him_ anywhere near it!"

“They can try to remove it before it's due-”

“They're not taking it from me, ever!”

"Are you saying you _want_ it?" Oakley had practically shouted in disbelief. He kept his gaze firmly on the brunette cowering inside the cell area, out of reach. Arius back up against the suspended bed, and dropped to a crouch on the ground. Hands clasped the sides of his head. The empath fell silent, seemingly unable to put up a fight anymore.

Oakley took a deep breath. It was harder than he had thought. Never in his life would he ever expect someone who would be willing to keep an... _alien_ inside them.

“It's going to kill you, Arius. Let us help you. You do want to be saved, don't you?” He tried again in the most gentle tone he could muster. Yet, it still wavered, and he mentally scolded himself for it.

"I- I don't know," Arius uttered, head lowered and shaking. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

Oakley could only clench his fists. He stared at his friend who was reduced to a small figure on the floor, apologising over and over.

 

* * *

Oakley Henderson conveniently jumped a rank when the previous commander was killed by a civilian. A civilian who happened to be his friend. He wasn't close to the commander, so he hadn't felt truly upset. What got him the most was that he noticed Arius changing in more ways than one. Both physically and mentally.

It was probably the main reason why he was tasked with being the one person to interact with O'Klein face-to-face. Delgado was aware that they shared a friendship, and riding on this fact, he was made to be in charge of O'Klein in hopes that the man wouldn't turned violent against his own friend. It was clear the man reacted adversely to other people. Thus, Oakley was assigned to be Delgado's 'personal assistant' for the time being.

"Sir," Oak greeted when he entered the office exclusively reserved for said scientist. From where Oakley stood at the doorway, he briefly glanced at the holding room on the left which was meant for the Xenomorph. Dried blood stains were haphazardly smeared against the glass, left uncleaned and forgotten despite the gut-hurling sight.

“Any luck?” The man asked without looking up from his messy table.

“Negative. O'Klein is adamant about any procedure which involves that he carries.”

“It was expected. Not that it matters anyway. We wouldn't have been able to carry out surgery even if we wanted to.”

Oakley narrowed his gaze. “Sir? I'm not sure I understand that.”

Delgado straightened up without turning to even spare a glance. As he did, he lifted a test tube, high enough that Oakley found himself staring at the sight of the lower half missing. It puzzled him as to what he was supposed to understand being presented this.

"O'Klein's blood was stored in this. Unfortunately, it decided to burn through my table as well."

"Wasn't his blood was taken just two hours ago?" Oakley had to ask just to confirm the timeline of the happenings. “The doctors had said back then that there was nothing unusual in Arius' blood.”

"Now you see, genetics works wonders, doesn't it? As you said, O'Klein presented with nothing. Just an hour later, when I wanted to do a re-run of the blood tests, this is what I returned to. Effectively, it means O'Klein is indeed turning into one of them."

Oakley felt his blood freeze. He didn't like where this was heading. Any prior plans he had made before might be for naught if everything was to snowball.

"What do we do now?" He asked, praying that his intention for doing so wasn't suspicious.

"We wait for O'Klein to present us our first hybrid child."

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please bear with me as we progress to the most painful part of this story!!! It's actually a little tough writing this chapter @_@ I'm sorry if the progression is a little slower than expected. I needed to flesh things out nicely so we don't rush things headfirst. I hope you've enjoyed this thus far!!


	10. Otromorph

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Major(?) trigger warnings for this chapter: birthing, blood, separation anxiety(?), superficial child abuse and just about anything shitty you guys probably don't want to see happen, but it did. Welcome to my world.

It was time.

The first sign of the offpsring ready to emerge came as a nasty, sharp pain occurring in Arius' abdomen. He felt as if a knife had just ran through his gut mercilessly. He doubled over in surprise with a pained cry, clutching the roundness. Something skittered under his skin and he gritted his teeth, knowing the activeness of the child meant that they were coming.

It had been around five hours since Arius had been detained. Perhaps another five or six since the coupling. Arius has long lost track of the times since, and mentally he was calling for the Xenomorph. Spike was still no where to be seen or heard. Maybe Spike had given up on him, and the child that was within him. It was probably not an unusual move on the alien's part since he was in enemy ground, dangerous and not worth risking his life for.

Arius mentally laughed at his own naivety when he hoped for the best.

Through the spiking pains Arius barely registered a group of people flooding into the holding room he was in. The bars were lifted and people were starting to flock around him. Delgado was barking orders left and right, but the words were white noise when his entire had only one focus: to give birth.

A sharp, ear-splitting scream that resembled nothing a human could vocalise cut through the air. Everyone was stunned when Arius, laying half-prone on the floor to avoid lying on his stomach, raised his head and snarled. The team backed off, unsure of how dangerous the person may be in his current state.

“Sir, what do we do? We don't know if it's a burster or-”

“Gag him, and haul him to the medical room. If it comes down to it, extract the hybrid, even if it costs O'Klein's life,” Delgado ordered quickly.

“You are _not_ taking him from-” Arius' seething words were cut off when a strap was forced across his mouth. Someone had managed to come up behind him and it was being tightened against his head uncomfortably. He tried to pry it off, but using his arms made them easily accessibly and he incoherently protested when hands tightened around his limbs.

They were forced to his sides and a crew of four men tugged him up onto his feet. They were not soldiers, so their grips were weaker and unsure, but it enough to feel just as threatening. Arius swore he would fight tooth and nail if it weren't for the pain causing his handicap. It was no more than a second of being in an upright position that another surge of pain laced through his abdomen and he curled forward, gag muffling a pained scream. His resistance didn't matter to the doctors because they were forcing him to move through all the agony. Arms around his chest and waist hauled him forward, through doors and hallways he couldn't recognise or process.

His head was swimming as his pain receptors were constantly flaring, threatening to throw him into a state of unconsciousness in response. Moving was putting his nerves through a burn he had never felt before, there were tell-tale contractions he never knew possible happening at the level of his abdomen.

With a strong heave he was shoved on top of a white medical bed carelessly. The comfort of the sheets did not last when his wrists were seized and held down by thick straps at the level of his head, forcing his arms into an uncomfortable position that made his back arch a little.

Arius' muffled screamed echoed the same as when his head threw back, slamming against the cushioned material. His struggles caused the straps around his wrist to bite, but the pain from it was nothing compared to the one occurring as the newborn was forcing its way out for freedom. The lower half of his clothing had been removed, modesty stripped from his being. The shirt he wore was hiked up to the level of his chest, and for the first time, Delgado and the medical crew stared in horror.

The buldge that was Arius' abdomen was _moving_. The discolored, bruising skin had small, raised bumps where the foetus was pushing against flesh, seeking an exit. Arius choked against the gag when he could feel slick fluid pooling between his legs. He couldn't even find the embarrassment laying spread eagle before so many people as his body forced itself to prepare for the birth. All his mind was instinctually telling him to do was keep his muscles active to push the child out.

Sweat soaked through the shirt he wore. Hair clung messily against his moist skin. Teeth bit down on the gag so hard that he swore the corners of his mouth would start to bleed. His arms and legs trembled as his body reflexively pushed the mass lower to the exit. In midst of the mess and haze that his mind was in, he was thankful the medical team wasn't doing anything to remotely interrupt the process.

A deep heave made Arius bite down onto the gag, uncaring if it cut his skin. He could feel a part of the foetus' body emerging, easing out with the wetness that lubricated their exit. Tears stung trickled down his cheek as the pain was unbearable from the sharp contractions his muscles were not meant to do. It seemed like an eternity before the large mass was fully expelled from his core.

His chest rose and fell rapidly, trying to recover. The medical room was silent save his heavy breathing. Arius' consciousness was starting to waver in the aftermath, but all he wanted to do now was to take a look at the baby, hold them close and...

“Take the infant. The placental fluids are not acidic,” Delgado, who had been observing all these while, ordered all of a sudden, Hearing it made Arius jumpstart into a second struggle despite the residual pain from the recent birthing.

 _Fear, discomfort_. These weren't his emotions, not the least, because he was angry and hysterical. These were once again juvenile, like an unsure, blossoming feeling. They were still finding a direction, and it was forcing a sense of protectiveness to swell in Arius' chest. He was sensing his baby's emotions vividly. 

The medical crew drew closer with slight caution, one holding a blanket. Arius wrestled the straps to the best of his abilities, but with most of the energy spent into the labour, he could only manage a weak struggle. From the corner he saw the doctor lift a small, undersized baby whose skin was patchy with pinkish fluid. Something told him the infant was a boy when he let out a typical whimper to show his irritation and unease.

It willed a desperate surge of strength into him, and Arius snapped the gag when his blood eventually burned through a side.

“Give him back!” Arius screeched, his voice startled the people in the room, and upon hearing it the infant started to shriek in response to his parent's voice and emotions. Both parent and child seemed to fuel each other's emotions, and Arius was thrashing with newfound determination, pain forgotten.

“Get it out of here, now!” The scientist ordered and the others proceeded as told.

“And O'Klein, sir?!” One of the medical crew questioned in the chaos that was Arius' voice, rattling bounds, and scuffling feet.

“Give him a general anaesthesia. I want the chemical compound of the placental fluid and details on his other vitals where possible. We're taking the hybrid to the other medical lab to analyse,” Delgado seethed as he evacuated the room with the doctor holding the wrapped bundle. He threw one last glance before the door closed, only to see Arius fighting the straps that tied him down as his vocals screeched an octave inhumanly possible.

* * *

 

The moment Oakley heard rumors of Arius having gone into labour, he rushed to find Delgado. He silently cursed and scolded himself for being away when Arius needed him most. His conscience was telling him otherwise, though, reasoning that his absence was for his friend's sake. He found Delgado at the other end of Espera Military base, much further from where Arius' holding cell was. The scientist had just exited this wing's medical bay, and was looking back inside talking to another person.

“Let me know once the second round of blood tests are done,” Delgado told the doctor as the door closed.

Oakley couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was the implication on Arius or the baby who couldn't have been born long ago? Were they working on them _already_?

“Sir,” Oakley quickly called out to announce his approach. Delgado cast him a look in reflex, and grunted in mild irritation. The scientist walked past the commander, pulling his tablet out and pretended not to see him.

“Sir, the baby is ok, aren't they?”

“He seems functional,” the older man gruffed out. It was clear he didn't want to entertain the soldier's questions.

“And Arius?”

“Alive enough be further worked with once he recovers.” Oakley had to bite down on making a nasty remark on the way Delgado was treating his friend. But what he heard next made him unable to stay silent: “We're keeping them permanently separated.”

“Why!?”

Delgado let out a loud snort, as if tired of stating the obvious. “Letting O'Klein near the infant will do us no good. I doubt he would be willing to let us run our tests in peace. The quicker we identify the genetic makeup of this thing, the better prepared we can be in the future,” Delgado was tapping away on the tablet his hand, not even sparing a glance in the soldier's direction.

“Sir, with all due respect. You probably shouldn't have taken the baby from O'Klein. He needs his parent-”  
  
Delgado abruptly stopped in his tracks and threw a raised eyebrow at Oakley, studying him. By no means was the scientist a big man, but he made the soldier freeze and question what he had just said.

“Are you sympathising with this alien, Commander? Because I can assure you, no good will come out of it. You do not understand the gravity of the situation we are in. If that _thing_ is anywhere similar to the XH species, I guarantee you this base, this country and this _planet_ can be easily doomed within the next twenty-four hours. Are you willing to take that risk?”

Oakley's jaw tightened, but remained silent. He was given a crash course on how the Xenomorphs worked, but he would never know them the way the scientist did. It ticked him off, but he knew he could speak no further.

“It is not human, Commander Henderson. If you are unable to distinguish this fact, you are only going to make it very difficult for yourself,” Delgado mused. "If the hybrid does require a parent, we'll look into finding a surrogate. There is zero chance of us allowing O'Klein reunite with the offspring.”

Oakley could only grit his teeth and clench his fist.

The next thing he knew, two hours later, Oakley was in Delgado's lab with Releksi, Harper and four of the highers up he had never seen or heard before. They were clustered near the front where a large holographic screen was being projected. He instead stood right at the back of the room, completely unbothered by the room behind which had been colorfully decorated by blood.

The last time Oakley saw the child dubbed as a 'hybrid', he was smaller than an average human baby, as the data showed that Arius would've resembled no more than a mother six months in. Nevertheless, he seemed well, asleep and sound. Looks-wise, the baby probably would've undeniably resembled his parent. He remembered seeing Arius' baby photo once, but alike the parent, he did not know his eye color. No hair was present, but he would most likely end up with chestnut brown locks.

Arius, on the other hand, was no where to be seen or heard, but Delgado assured him that his friend was alive and recovering. The scientist refused to disclose Arius' location.

The child was left in a medical pod. It wouldn't be a lie to say that they were keeping the child inside an enclosed area for safety reasons. For the safety of the baby, or for the safety of the crew, he couldn't tell. At the same time though, the medical pod provided a sterile and heated environment that would hopefully be suitable. For now, it seemed like there was little abnormality in his growth rate and the medical team relaxed knowing that he wasn't going to turn into a six-foot being in an hour flat.

Oakley's attention turned to the scientist when he started speaking and expanding the screen behind him. He eyed the large screen that begun to focus, and the first thing which appeared was Arius' profile. Name, age, occupation, and a detailed background on the empath. Information that he as a friend probably wouldn't know either.

“Good day to everyone. I'm sure you've taken time to read the reports and results of O'Klein, and are probably highly curious as to what's going on presently,” Delgado began as his digits sifted through the tablet he held. “As you know, he had been used by XH-022 to be a host by some non-traditional means. Fortunately, it is unlike the usual Xenomorph cycle, and O'Klein was not subjected to a burster when the newborn was due. He is currently recovering and you will be able to meet him in due time.

“I've taken the liberty of working with the medical team to run a physical examination and bloodwork of the newborn. Our blessing is that this child does not have acidic blood like its parents, and generally created no fuss while being handled. It is currently scheduled undergo long-term analysis and tests, so I will first present the findings thus far.”

Delgado used the tablet in his hand to control the images on the larger screen. Pixels flickered, and and Arius' profile was replaced with an image of the newborn shown laying on a white bed, inside the same medical pod Oakley had last seen him in. The sight of multiple pin pricks on his inner arm made his blood boil, and fists clenched tightly under his crossed arms.

“We have decided to call this unique hybrid an 'Otromorph'. Do not be fooled by its human appearance, however, because genetically it is proven not to be what it appears as.”

The next image flickered, showing a DNA sequence and a graph next to it. It depicted the DNA molecular structure of three different types, labelled as 'Human', 'Xenomorph' and 'Otromorph'. Several points of the DNA segments were highlighted out, and the base comparison of the three species strands were done. In relation to the human, the Xenomorph DNA presented with 14.7% similarity, while the Otromorph showed 88.7%.

“Under normal circumstances, when a human is being used as a host by a process we call parasitic deposition, the embryo undergoes a process called 'DNA Reflex'. This is where the parasite absorbs part of their host's DNA and integrates it in their own, forming a slight mutation and hybridism. Generally, the DNA Reflex takes an approximate 15% of the host. However, in the case of the Otromorph, I believe the process is reversed. Perhaps as a mechanism of survival, a direct impregnation has evolved to take a much higher percentage of its host, and in this case, Arius O'Klein. The result, as you can see, is a relatively human-looking offspring.”

The next photograph that was put on the screen showed the baby prone. “It's not obvious, but the only unusual physical traits are the exceptionally long spinous processes and coccygeal bone that heavily protrudes.” A red laser pointer circled the child's back which showed multiple prominent bumps. “In the future, these have a potential to grow to resemble the dorsal tubes and tail of the Xenomorph species. At this point, it's impossible to tell. Thus far, it seems to not have the accelerated growth rate a Xenomorph has, maintaining its size for the past few hours til now. Thus, it is deemed to grow at the rate of a normal child.”

“What is your next desired approach, then?” Releksi questioned from where he sat.

“We shall have the Otromorph under our care and monitor its progress. It could be the key to bridging the species of humans and Xenomorph. Since it is only a newborn, we can mostly definitely raise it in a manner beneficial to us.”  
  
Oakley had to take a deep breath after absorbing so much information. He continued listening half-heartedly to the conversation between Delgado and the higher ups, while his hands fiddled with themselves. The plans in his head might have to be changed and be played by ear, especially since there would be more than one person he had to take out of this base alive now.

_Hold on, Arius. You'll be out of this soon, I swear on my life._

* * *

 

Arius couldn't tell how long he'd been on the bed, abandoned without care. When he woke through the general anaesthesia, he had been alone. The medical crew probably accomplished what they were required of, and left after getting what they wanted. He was abandoned to mend through his own wounds.

He was long past the state of physical exhaustion while his mental state fared no better. He hadn't moved since, lying partially on his side. The scent of his own blood mixed with whatever fluid that came with had dried, sticking to his skin uncomfortably. The bed was equally soaked, cold.

However, he could care for none of that. All he had been doing was silently begging for someone, anyone, to return what belonged to him. His friend was no where to be seen, and he wasn't even sure Oakley knew where he was.

Through walls and walls of steel and concrete, he could feel his child's fear and crying in his mind from the time of birth. Agony surged through his core for every moment he was being seek as a parent for protection. Arius couldn't comprehend why he could feel the newborn's emotions, but the connection was stronger than what he had with Spike. He could hear his baby crying out to him for help and safety as clearly as if it was happening right before him.

The newborn's suffering spiked several times within the time that they had been separated, and Arius had tears running down his face endlessly. He didn't deserve this; he was only a baby. This was all his fault. Anguish tore at his soul. He had never felt this helpless in his entire life.

A rattling noise caught his attention, tearing his attention away from the mental state of his child. He peered up and made out a large, black blur. The ceiling had a gaping hole and the figure slithered from ceiling to floor in complete silence.  
  
“Spike, Spike,” Arius rasped out, digits reaching out to the large, black figure. He was late, but it comforted Arius knowing that the Xenomorph had not abandoned him as he thought initially. 

Spike approached without hesitation and nudged the digits as a soft, unthreatening rumble escaped. He realised that his mate was held down by a weird contraption by the limbs and he growled at it. As if knowing, he lowered his jaw with a hiss and his inner jaw struck, tearing the material into half without injuring Arius.

The empath was relieved of the binds on one hand, but he was far from being able to move. He watched the Xenomorph pulled away slightly, tilting its large dome as if searching for something. Arius knew what the other was looking for. His heart shattered for the uncountable time since the forced separation, and he inhaled sharply.  
  
“They took him. They took the baby,” he swallowed with his head lowered as Spike's face drew close. He managed to nuzzled against Arius' forehead, trying to comfort the distressed human. He crooned softly, understanding that the offspring was most likely taken away.

“He's hurting. They're hurting him,” the tone of Arius' pained voice turned icy, dangerous. Anger raked at his being, heightening now that he knew Spike was here and could do something about it. “He's only a baby and these monsters are hurting him."

Slowly, the empath lifted his hand, brushing along the side of Spike's face and uncaring for the slick that coated the rubbery skin. He cupped the solid jawline of the alien, and pulled it even closer with a strength he never knew he could muster at that point despite being riddled with exhaustion.

“Find him. Find my baby, and bring him back to me,” Arius hissed out, venom dripping in his tone. “Kill _anyone_ who stands in your way.”

To hell with the humans; they took what belonged to him, and now they will pay the price with their lives.

Spike let out a low snarl as a pleased agreement at the order issued to him. With the grace and sleekness he prided in, the Xenomorph slithered back into the darkness he had came from, and begun the instinct his kind was primed for.

_To hunt._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hell hath no fury like a mother whose child is in danger.
> 
> 'Otro' means 'other' in Spanish, and thus the term 'Otromorph' is born. Do you like the name?? I quite like it. Kinda catchy like Neomorph. 
> 
> So I bought the book “Bug Hunt”, which is a compilation of short Alien stories done by various authors. I'm looking forward to reading it to obtain more information on the Xenomorphs and such. Also, a dear reader had asked about Weyland Yutani's part in the story. Don't worry, we can't let these bastards not take the spotlight at some point :) 
> 
> Holy ten chapters, 30k words ish, over 350 kudos and more than 5k hits. You guys are sick, but welcome aboard!


	11. Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologise for the straight-forwardness of this chapter. I just dived straight to the important parts so I'm sorry if there's a lack of a satsifying build-up. On the bright side, it's a little longer than the usual to make up for it! This chapter is set mostly in Oakley's POV, because y'know, we all kinda like the commander too?

Oakley had always preferred being second-in-command. It gave him the leeway of being in control of certain things, but he wasn't in charge overall. He's still have to listen to his commander, who gave the final decisions. Thoughts about being a commander crossed his mind once in a while, wondering if things would ended differently if orders came from his mouth. That, and he should have seen it coming when said commander was dismissed from the army via termination.

Surprisingly, there were no qualms from the Azure Platoon. The sub-squads, his teammates, favoured his strong but reasonable authority, rather than the previous commander's ruling with an iron fist. As the new superior, he received countless word of support and encouragement. They offered him their aid, saying that they would return favours in a heartbeat. Oakley didn't think he'd have to take their offer into consideration until today.

* * *

 

The sudden blasting of the overhead alarms caused every person in Delgado's office to jump. A robotic voice started announcing about a 'red alert', but gave no information other than that. Oakley narrowed his gaze when he knew who... or _what_ it could have been. He snatched his comm from his waist and jammed the button on the side, entering a universal channel.

“Report,” he ordered. Anyone was allowed to reply him as long as they knew what was going on. It was silent for a moment, and Oakley ignored the stares of the room's occupants as he started towards the door.

“ _Sir,_ ” a female voice replied, and he recognised it to be Elleen, the lady in charge of the security cams on base. “ _There is confirmation of XH-022's presence within the base. It is on a rampage; any personnel he meets are immediately killed. Thus far, he has killed nine._ ”

 _How risky_ , Oakley thought to himself. For a predator who was known for its stealth and silent kills, it was making quite a scene. Was it doing on purpose? Perhaps making a stand to just show exactly who was the superior species?

“Can you pinpoint its exact location?” Oakley questioned once he out the room. The people inside need not hear about what's going on.

“ _Negative, sir. It's using the ventilation system in the ceiling to travel. I can only identify its location when it's not up there._ ” Fair enough.

“Where has it been thus far?”

“ _The canteen, the hallway of the dorms... It seems to be heading towards-_ ” Elleen's voice was interrupted with a guy shouting in the background, and it was accompanied with an inhuman screech. In response, the woman screamed too, and everything went silent.

The commander felt his blood turn cold. The security room was along that general direction XH-022 was heading.

“Elleen? Elleen!” He yelled through the comms. Oakley clicked his tongue, mentally mapping out where the Xenomorph might be heading next. If his guess was correct, it was heading straight for the med bay where the infant was. How it knew, he did not know.

 _This was their chance,_  however _._ If he played his cards right, he could save Arius and his child. He wasn't sure how the Xenomorph would be added into the equation, but he didn't want to think about it yet.

He broke into a run, yelling into the comm as he passed soldiers who wore either fear or confusion on their faces.

“Control station, do an evacuation and lockdown, now!” He ordered. An affirmative was given, and a different sounding alarm echoed through the base. One more blaring, indicative of a higher danger level.

“Everyone's safety is a priority; Alpha crew, head to the security room. We need eyes on the screens. Beta, Charlie, Delta, secure all entrances, make sure nothing alien gets out. The rest of the squads, evacuate all non-military personnel off base and be on stand-by for further instructions from alpha once they secure the cams.” He paused. He needed to make his orders more plausible, and he swallowed.

“Shoot XH-022 on sight.”

Once delivering a convincing set of orders, he pulled out a small hand-held device that was round with a screen showing a radar. It had been a tracker he had secretly placed with the infant in order to be able to track his whereabouts. Currently, the red pulsing dot on the screen wasn't moving, meaning that the child has yet to be removed from the medical bay. He maneuvered through the corridors and in the direction of the room.

When Oakley pushed the button that opened the door to the medical bay, he had not expected to be hit with the thick, metallic scent of blood. A hand rushed to cover his noise. Blood and death wasn't an unusual sight for him, but it still took a moment to get used it. His eyes scanned the room, and there were four dead white coats sprawled on the floor. Blood stains blotched over their initially pristine pullover was indicative that the Xenomorph had been ruthless in its task.

He sucked in a breath through his teeth, focusing on the task at hand.

Cautiously, he looked around. It was completely silent, with not a single movement in sight. The Xenomorph itself was no where in sight. That was an unsettling thought.

Oakley pushed forward to the medical pod, avoiding the dead bodies of the doctors (or what's left of them, to be exact) laying haphazardly aross the room. He chose to ignore the multiple streaks of bloodstain on the hood. Inside, the infant was safe, blessed by his state of unawareness to the dangers surrounding him. Oakley gave a mental sigh of relief.

He fumbled for a little, searching for the button that released the catch of the pod. He watched with the mental drumming of seconds as the synthetic glass lifted. It opened painstakingly slow, and even before it could fully so, his hands dived for the baby, picking him up in the blanket he was bundled in. He turned around, only to find a black mass between him and the only way out. His blood froze instantly at the sight of XH-022.

The Xenomorph was facing him, and Oakley didn't doubt that its attention was directed his way. It was the first time Oakley came this close, face-to-face with its menacing sight. Currently, it was half-crouched on all fours, but even then its height easily reached Oakley's chest level. Oakley took in the sight of its physical features under the bright lights of the medical bay, and he could see exactly how clearly this alien was built for the first time in his life.

Its blunt, human-like teeth was bared with charcoal lips twitching. The Xenomorph had yet to move, simply keeping its distance of a few feet. Its long tail swished slightly, as if daring him to make a move. At the same time, Oakley could tell that it was guarded, but of what? Having known the prowess of this alien species, killing him would be a simple task. There wasn't a need to hesitate, but something was holding the Xenomorph back this time.

He pondered about it for a precious second, and realised that it was because of the bundle he held.

It was probably waiting for someone to open the medical pod, because while intelligent, it did not know how to access the infant. The blood stains on the hood of the device may have been due to the Xenomorph trying to open it, and not a dead doctor scrabbling at the glass.

Since Oakley held the baby, it may have been wary that the soldier would harm the infant in his arms. He tested his theory, and shifted the baby slightly. The Xenomorph instantly hissed and flinched back a fraction.

Oakley gave a mental heave. He had to get out of here before... well, before everything plummets into an irreversible shit hole. The Xenomorph was in his way, and he still had to find Arius.

 _Wai_ t, he mentally paused. Perhaps the alien may know where his friend was? Though, it hadn't really mattered once Alpha squad secured the cam room.

There was a possibility of the Xenomorph taking the infant and running off. But it may just be a good idea if he wanted the child out of harm's way. It could leave him to prioritise saving Arius.

He took a deep breath, and hoped for the best. It was a big gamble, but it was now or never.

"Spike," he tried. He remembered that Arius would often address the Xenomorph by its so-called name. Maybe he could try to make himself to seem less of a threat.

To his relief, the Xenomorph ceased its hissing and lip twitches. It remained unmoving, save the slimy secretions that fell from its face. It evidently waited.

Oakley dropped to his knees as slowly as he could, keeping him movements unalarming. Spiked kept its attention (did it even have eyes, Oakley wondered) on him, head tilting slightly as the human lowered himself to a kneel.

Oakley extended his arms with the infant, leaning as far as he could reach to place the baby on the floor. As close as he could put it towards the Xenomorph, to show that he meant no harm and was willing to return the infant.

Spike tilted its head slightly for a moment, watching as Oakley's hands retreated from the offspring. The Xenomorph let out a low growl but proceeded forward slowly on all fours. Oakley's gaze instantly flicked up to a long tailed that was coiled and ready to dart forward at any moment. He held his breath as Spike approached, clearing the distance between the two of them.

Oakley didn't dare to move a muscle, even when a stray trickle of sweat made him tempted to wipe his face. He didn't know if he ought to stare at the Xenomorph as he approached. Nevertheless, his eyes never left the hulking form that lumbered in his direction.

Spike stopped before the tiny mass, peering at it curiously as his head tilted. He didn't need to identify the offspring since there was an underlying connection between them. Alike his mate, he only felt them through emotions, and the offspring seemed delighted to know that he was nearby.

His jawline snapped abruptly towards Oakley and the human tensed up again. Spike carefully stepped one limb over the infant and drew his head close. Oakley could swear that he could smell the alien being this close - pungent, tacky and bloody. The Xenomorph's face was inches away from his, lips furling once more. Then, the silver teeth came into sight and a secondary glint had Oakley staring inside the abyss of the black jaw.

A set of smaller teeth extended out slowly just as a throaty hiss escaped the large, open jaw. Oakley knew the capabilities of this small appendage. He knew the consequences of being on the receiving end. He reflexively cowered when the inner jaw extended, its small but menacing mouth-like structure drawing close. It didn't touch him, however, but Oakley continued holding his breath as a single hand clenched tightly.

Spike pulled away eventually, retracting its inner jaw and turning his attention to the offspring that made a muffled, indistinct noise. It lowered its head towards small bundle, and it gave a deep rumble in return. Long, black digits wrapped around the infant carefully, and nestled him against the Xenomorph's ridged chest. Oakley couldn't help but be impressed by how gentle such a large predator, feared for its brutal nature, could be. He watched in silence as the Xenomorph raised itself on its hind legs. It took large, heavy strides as he exited the medical bay, tail shaped with an arrow-tip disappearing around the corner.

Oakley released the breath he had been holding since forever. His hand could finally move to wipe the sweat on his face before he took his comm out. He thumbed a certain button sequence, and a private channel of Alpha squad sprung up. A number indicative at the top of his comm stated that all members of the Alpha squad had accessed the channel.

"Starkson, the infant is with 022. I've got a the tracker on the kid, coded 4A5H. Can you find it?" While he could still use his own hand-held radar, the distance he could detect the beacon was limited, give or take thirty-feet. He'd still know the direction it was in, but Starkson could put the tracker's coordinates relative to the surrounding, and in this case, Espera base's map.

" _Roger that. I'm tracking him...”_ There was a sound of laptop keys being typed on. “ _Got it. 022 and the infant are headed towards the west wing. By its odd location, it seems to be using the ceiling_."

"Update me its location when it stops. If has yet to bolt outta here, it may have gone to find Arius. Track the infant, and we'll find Arius" The commander paused. "Thanks guys. Know that what you're doing right now means a lot to me."

" _Ya saved ma ass countless of times, bud. 'Ts least I could do ya_ ," Goldring replied through the channel. "' _Sides, been pretty borin' round here. Could use a little fun._ " Oakley wasn't sure committing treason was something to be take so lightly as 'fun', but he was glad the members of Alpha were buddies enough to help him on such a dangerous task.

Oakley had to chuckle. "And Lake?"

" _I have my reasons_ ,” a young voice replied.

The commander shrugged to no one. "Let's commence phase 2. Lake, Boholst, meet me in the west wing. Ready the package."

Two voice replied with 'roger'.

* * *

  
  
The commander met his two squad members around the corner at a cross junction. One of the pathways led to the west wing medical bay. The Xenomorph had already taken the infant into said room, and it confirmed Oakley's suspicion of Arius being held inside. It didn't seem like they were about to  make a move yet, thus they had to be quick to intercept before their departure.  
  
“I'll go in first, and comm you know if you can enter or run like hell,” Oakley said.

Boholst gave a thumbs up while the younger of the two, Lake, nodded. Both of them, unlike him, wielded rifles. Oakley himself personally only held a handgun. However, he was going in there to help, not shoot down the Xenomorph. He could only pray to whatever gods that the Xenomorph wouldn't decide to turn hostile on him out of the blue.

Oakley proceeded as planned. The moment he thumbed the button that had the medical bay door slide open, he was only graced a fraction of a second before his entire body was tackled to the floor. His face paled to see Spike in his personal space, much too close for his comfort. The Xenomorph had his jaw open and ready.

“Arius, it's me!” He shouted as quickly and clearly despite his flurry of panic. Oakley barely dodged the inner jaw as it snapped right next to his ear dangerously. The appendage retracted, and Spike was readying a second strike-

“Spike, stop,” the familiar voice sounded and Oakley breathed in relief as the Xenomorph's mouth closed. It didn't move, however, and turned its head to the side growling in dissatisfaction. Just peeking around the corner of the domed head, he saw his friend make an appearance with a bundle in his arms.

Oakley's eyes widened at the sight of his friend. Chestnut brown hair disheveled, blood and fluids sticking to nearly any part of his body that was exposed. The hospital gown he was decked in was stained in questionable colors. They hadn't even changed the empath's clothing... and were those cuffs on the wrists?

_Fucking assholes._

“Why are you here?”

“To save you,” Oakley replied without hesitation.

Arius tilted his head slightly, before his features contorted to dismay. “And why should I believe you? You're one of _them_ ,” he hissed out. Never in Oakley's life has he heard Arius' tone like this. It was almost surreal.

“Not gonna toot my own horn, but the only reason why your baby's with you is because of me.”

The empath fell silent as he clutched his child close to him. Oakley couldn't quite see the other's expression from where he was pinned under the Xenomorph. It seemed like decades before a cautious voice broke the deafening silence.

“Can I trust you?”

Oakley's heart lifted at question. “I would never lie to you,” he swore. "You, more than anyone else, can tell."

Arius fell silent, and Oakley's heartbeat skipped, only to relax when the other finally replied: “No, you wouldn't.”

Arius patted Spike on his shoulder and the Xenomorph, surprisingly, backed off without a qualm. Oakley kept his eyes on him regardless, pushing himself up to his feet.

“I've... got some people to help. Is there a chance that... _Spike_ does not kill them?” He used the Xenomorph's so-called name out of slight respect.

Arius had a hand on the dome of the Xenomorph crouched right next to him. The long, dangerous tail had coiled around the human protectively, and a low rumbled escaped him. Arius chose to respond the commander with a mere nod.

Oakley didn't exactly know if it was a good idea with such a vague answer, but they had to get down to business. He picked his comm up from his waist. “Clear,” he announced into it. No more than a minute later, the door to the medical bay opened. A lithe figure burst in, accompanied with a loud voice that made Spike growl out, upset.  
  
“Arius!” Lake called out the moment he entered the room. He wasn't even the least fazed by the presence of the Xenomorph, focused blatantly on human next to it. The boy still stood a significant distance between them, to be safe.

“Jim?” Arius lit upon hearing a rather familiar voice.

“Yeah! I'm here to help... but only if you choose to agree that penne's the best pasta to go with sauce,” the youngest soldier sneered. Arius couldn't help but let out a laugh.

Behind Lake, a bigger, tougher looking guy stepped in. Green eyes were instantly on the alien.

“Holy, he's a lot ugl-” Boholst received a glare from his commander and he swalllowed the word he had intended to say. “I mean, _bigger_ , than I thought up close.”

Oakley took the bag from his squad member and approached Arius. Hearing Spike hiss threateningly did make him internally flinch, but he stood right in front of the both of them.

“This is a bag of military issue uniform. Change into it; it'll be a lot easier to sneak around base without drawing too much attention. The big guy has to find his own way out, though.”

Arius seemed to 'stare' for a moment before reaching his hand out to the side. Spike instantly responded to the gesture, ignoring the humans as his attention for his mate held priority. Arius' hand guided the Xenomorphs head to his and they touched. Oakley would have thought it endearing, if not borderline unusual. A few seconds later, Spike let out a sound that was crossed between a hiss and a growl, and he snapped away from the human. With several steps and a single, strong bound, it was up in the ceiling and gone.

“So, what did you get er... Spike to do? He seemed really enthusiastic about it,” Oakley asked softly as Arius took the bag from him.

His chin lifted slightly when he heard the question. “Kill.”

A cold shiver tingled down Oakley's spine. It was highly concerning that Arius' personality took such a huge turn. Perhaps in due time, he would revert back to the kindred spirit he used to know. Once all this was over. 

While Arius discarded the stained gown, Oakley's attention was on his comm that flashed a few times. He answered it.

“ _Commander_ ,” the comm at his waist hissed out. Said person replied and questioned what the matter was. “ _It seems like Executive Releksi, Executive Harper and the four WY representatives are still in Delgado's office. Do you want them extracted?_ ”

“I'll do it. Jim, Boholst, I'll leave you two to get Arius out.”

One voice chirped with enthusiasm, while the other simply gruffed out: “Will do, sir!”

* * *

  
  
When Oakley returned to the office, it was as Starkson had mentioned, but the scientist was missing.

“Where's Delgado?” Oakley questioned as entered.

“He said he had matters to attend to,” Releksi grunted out, clearly unhappy about being left behind. “What was the alarm for? Are we under attack?”

There was something about the tone of the old man that had Oakley felt that his toes were being stepped on. Repeatedly.

“XH-022 has been reported to be within the premises. We are evacuating the base of all non-military personnel before we hunt it down. I'll escort you out immediately.”

“Be quick!” Harper barked, and Oakley was sure the woman was panicking under all that caking of make-up. The four men behind her, whose chests were pinned with a badge he had never seen before, were silent.

Oakley was about to lead the way out when the a portion of the ceiling gave way, and everyone in the room gave a startled shout. The ebony figure landed without grace, announcing its arrival as a loud snarl filled the room. Oakley found himself faced with a familiar figure for the third time today.

Why was Spike _here_? Though now the bigger question was: would Spike follow Arius' orders and genuinely _kill_?

The soldier pulled his handgun out in reflex, staring at the large, dark skin that glinted in the dim lighting. Spike remained crouched, head and human-like teeth pointed in his direction. The long whip tail was swishing, daring him to make a move.

"Commander Henderson! Protect us at all costs!" Came the order behind him.

Spike started to advance when Oakley made no movement. He drew dangerously close, and the latter could smell the same odd musk that came from the slime it secreted.

But he couldn't pull the trigger. Not when he knew that this alien was a part of Arius' lifeline. He couldn't take away one more thing his friend seemed to love, as warped as the act was. Oakley held his breath and shut his eyes, waiting for any form of pain to descend upon him. He was expecting a sudden thrust from either the inner jaw or tail.

To his genuine surprise, Spike had not reacted negatively to his presence, save the snarls. The Xenomorph drew its face close and Oakley could tell so as its vocals were more evident. The situation seemed oddly similar, and Oakley dare to open his eyes to stare back at the alien. Spike continued to growl, but did nothing more.

Was it possible that Spike recognised him?

“What are you doing?! Shoot it!” A woman's voice screeched in horror and it robbed the Xenomorph's attention.

Oakley was startled when Spike let out a sudden, angered screech and shot past him, completely ignoring his presence now. Screams filled the air as he lowered his gun, teeth gritting as he tried to drown the sound of death out. Mustering the will, he slipped out of the room and shut the door behind him. His gaze lowered, staring at the wall opposite.

He wasn't aware of the length of time he had stood there unmoving, even when the voices inside the room had subsided. It was only when a flashing light by his waist, indicating that his comm required attention, did he tear his gaze away. Hesitantly, he took the softly beeping device out and pushed the receiver.  
  
“ _Commander, Delgado comm-ed the security centre asking about the extraction status of the executives and WY representatives_ ,” Starkson's voice sounded.

Oakley returned his gaze to the wall, wondering why his conscience didn't eat at him. Then again, they probably didn't deserve his pity even after being ripped apart by the Xenomorph.

“Tell him that XH-022 had got to them before I did.”

Delgado's office was now likely to be painted in the same color as the room next door.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Too bad, Delgado missed out on the party. 
> 
> At the end of the story, I will probably make a whole listing of tidbits to why certain things happen. I don't really want to expose all the little easter egg info in the main story just for the fun of it. 
> 
> Anywho, I believe more chaos is on the way :) See you next time~~ 
> 
> ((are those little spikexoakley moments I see?))


	12. Requiem

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The moment you've all not been waiting for: the archive warning shall now take place. 
> 
> Twice as hard.

Oakley regrouped with them at some point, and they were making their way out. Arius had been carrying the infant in his arms as he struggled slightly to keep up, considering he had no prior training background. It was a slight joke to realise just how unfit he was. Regardless, the team was kind, waiting for him to catch up where necessary. He felt like a burden, and he was going to be the cost of the operation getting ruined. He just knew.

Starkson stopped the team all of a sudden. He had been directing them through the halls to avoid other military personnel, and they've been quite successful thus far.

“ _There's a bunch of non-military personnel running through the base. Gimme a sec while I identify them_ ,” he said quickly, and various typing noises could be heard. “ _Shit, they're Weyland's. We won't have control over their actions because they're not under our operatives. I can't redirect them. You guys gotta get outta there, now. Take the south or east route as a detour._ ”

Oakley let out a curse. He signaled something to the other two of his team, who nodded through the non-verbals orders. Arius was obviously clueless to what was going on, and was startled when Oakley grabbed his arm and headed presumably south, while the other two headed eastward.

“Oak? What's going on?” Arius struggled to keep up with the man's strides. It was rather difficult when he had to keep one arm safely around his child.

“Weyland-Yutani. They're the biggest global organisation who does cross-space expeditions. A few of the representatives were with Delgado earlier and Spike has killed them. They must've got wind of it.”

Oakley peered past a corner, making sure that the coast was clear before crossing the junction.  
  
“At this point, all I can guess is that they're here for you three as well. I've just sent Lake and Boholst ahead of us to secure the vehicle. We're going around the Weyland creeps to the hangar and hopefully, we'll get you both outta here.”

The brunette swallowed thickly. The Weyland-Yutani people seemed dangerous judging by how nervous Oakley was. It didn't settle his heart knowing that there were more people, and not just one mad scientist, after him.  
  
“ _Commander, they're coming up from your left. They've secured the east side; found Lake and Boholst, and they're are currently forced to stay put. They can't access the hangar._ ”

“Fuck,” Oakley hissed out. “How many of them are there heading this way?”

“ _You're looking at around ten to fifteen personnel... They're around the bend of you guys. Get out of there, now!_ ”

“It's impossible to run,” Arius uttered out. “They'll find us, and they'll take him away.”  
  
Oakley stood by his friend and grabbed him by the shoulders. “Look, I'll find a way to get you out of town, I promise. I'll do what I can.”

“But you can't, not in this situation.”

“ _Commander, what's the hold up?_ ” Starkson sounded on the open comm. Oakley didn't respond to him just yet.  
  
“I'm saying this because you know, that I know, Spike and I may not make out of this alive. At best, either or both of us would be taken, and god knows what would happen next...”

Arius paused, tilting his head. He gave a smile when he sensed a familiar presence lurking nearby. “Oak, I'm sorry, would you do one last favour for me? It'll be the biggest burden you'll ever have, but you're the only one I can trust.”

“Arius, what the hell are you going on about? Now's not the time to get sentimental,” Oakley hissed out.

Arius shrugged off the empty military backpack he had been carrying as he knelt on the ground. He brought the baby close to his face and he nuzzled him, softly cooing to him.

“Sh.. You'll be safe. Be quiet, alright? Perhaps, I'll see you again... Someday.”

“Arius...”

“The backpack isn't the best carrier to use, but at this point, it's the best you've got to hide him,” the empath said out loud. He gently placed the infant inside, zipping it but leaving a decent gap. His head lifted, and a hand of his reached out. “Spike,” he called.

Oakley nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard a sound that was caught between a hiss and a growl right by his ear. He took a startled step to the side just as a tall, black form brushed past him. Where in the world did the Xenomorph came from? A hunter at its finest; there wasn't a single hint of its presence until it was too late.

Spike didn't spare Oakley any attention as he walked up to Arius. His long tail whipped slightly, nearly grazing Oakley's cheek as the soldier stepped back cautiously. Arius had stood up by then, a hand on the alien's cheek.

“We'll hold their attention for as long as we can. In the meantime, please, get him out of here safely. I'm entrusting him to you, Oak. You're the only one I can,” Arius smiled. “If we don't see each other again, this will be the last goodbye.”

“Arius wai-” Even before Oakley could say the name, Spike has let out a huge screech.

It had been a perfect timing because a group of people rushed had just turned the corner. They assessed the situation quickly, tossing him a quick glance in question of his presence, but turning their attentions to the Xenomorph.

Spike gave one irritaed hiss before taking Arius by the waist and leaping up into the ceiling. A man with a commanding tone starting barking orders, scattering half the people present, presumably to hunt down the two.

Oakley kept his cool, analysing the people before him. The first person who approached him was clearly the in-charge, judging by the multi-rank badge on his shoulder. He gave a quick salute, raising his right hand near his forehead.

“General Sture Rolandsson, Weyland-Yutani operative,” the stranger introduced themselves.

“Commander Henderson of Espera Military,” he greeted. He hoped none of the people took heed to the bag at the side of the corridor.

The male, just a few inches taller than him, returned a salute that was different to his, fist to the chest. It was probably their own manner of salute. “I trust you are aware of the situation at hand?”

“Of course, sir. I was lucky that you arrived just in time to scare XH-022 and O'Klein away,” Oakley lied smoothly.

Sture eyed him carefully, lips thinned. He took a quick glance to the floor that has a small puddle of slime, left in the wake of the Xenomorph.

“You are, indeed. I don't suppose you know where they're headed?”

Oakley shook his head. “Haven't a clue, sir.”

“Very well,” General Rolandsson turned to his men and started speaking in a different language. Swedish, was it?

After what seemed like forever, the Weyland operatives left the scene, allowing Oakley to retrieve the bag that held the baby. He'd prefer to take it out of the bag, but Arius was right, sneaking him around in the bad would be less conspicuous. He had to get the child to his mother, who would know how to take care of babies better than he could.

* * *

 

“Spike... Would you trust me? Even if we died?” Arius randomly spoke as he followed the Xenomorph trekking on all fours ahead of him. They were half-crawling through a system in the ceiling, to which Arius was surprised by how spacious it was. Perhaps because the military has to be aware of the systems especially due to the nature of it being underground.

Spike didn't respond, merely shifting his head to the side as if trying to understand the foreign words. He waited as Arius managed to shuffle to his side, and he caressed the slime-slicked cheeks.

“If we get out of here, I want you to run. Whatever you do, don't come back. You're quicker than I am, so you'll be able to get away.”

Spike's lips furled for a moment, hissing before turning away, walking off. It sounded like a refusal, but Arius couldn't tell for sure. For now, Spike seemed disinterested in what he had to say. He was about to follow when the floor under him gave way.

Arius gave a loud, pained yelp when his collapsed on the floor, breath hitching where he laid on his shoulder that absorbed all the impact. No more than a few seconds later, a stampede of boots crunching on the cemented floor were right by him. There were about three of them.

Arius let out a grunt when he was forced on his knees, arms tugged and forced against his lower back.

“You're quite a handful, O'Klein. I very do much regret using your 'assistance' from the start,” Delgado's voice sounded behind him.  
  
“How-” Arius had to bite as the soreness from his shoulder started to spread.

Delgado knelt beside the other, waving a device in his hand. “Heat signature, one that 022 lacks, but you have. So, where's the Otromorph?”

A cheshire smile graced his face. “You'll never find him, Delgado. I won't let you.”

“022 has it, doesn't it?” The scientist growled out, before throwing a look over his shoulder. “Track it! Find Otromorph at all costs!” He grabbed Arius by hair, forcing the brunette's head back to an agonising angle. “I should have you killed right now for causing this much trouble. Fortunately, you're worth a more to me alive than dead.”

Arius was about to give a snarky remark when a screech stole his attention. He could barely turn around where Spike descended from the ceiling a short distance away, barbed tail raised high. He growled at the humans in anger, the pearly whites flashing dangerously.

“Spike, no! Why'd you-mmph!” A hand clasped over his mouth just as guns' safeties were clicked off.

“Cease, you monster!” Delgado yelled as he pulled Arius against him. The latter's breath hitched as a sharp object was placed against his throat. A blade, most likely. Instantly, Spike responded in kind, opening his jaw and letting out an angry hiss. Even his inner tongue had extended threateningly, biting the air. But other than this, he made no other moves.

“Smart little fella, isn't it? Looks like your little pet sees you more important than the offspring after all,” Delgado drawled in an amused tone by his ear. It was disgusting.

Arius tried to struggle free, but to no avail. He was mentally screaming for Spike to run, run far away and not to come back.  
  
“My patience wears thin, O'Klein. For the last time, _where_ is the Otromorph, O'Klein?” Delgado snarled out, pressing the blade deeper into his skin.  
  
It was the straw that broke the camel's back, and Spike lunged for the group. Triggers were being pulled and Arius shrieked uselessly through the loudness of gunfire, through Spike's own pained cries as bullets were being driven into his body endlessly at such close range.

Green blood splattered when the Xenomorph's body hit the ground. Acid started to sizzle and burn the flooring and walls. A soft, useless moan escaped him as Arius finally broke free of Delgado's grasp. He rushed forward, clearing the distance between them and settling by the fallen body.

  
“No, no Spike, why...” His chest swelled with anguish when all he could feel from Spike was agony. He could tell that much by the holes drilled into various parts of the alien's body. The copious amount of green, acidic blood oozing from every bullet pore had already burnt away parts of the military clothing he wore.  
  
He held the large carapace against his chest as his own breath hitched through his crying, tears seeping through his closed lids uselessly. Arius could only hug him close as he remained un-moving.

 _Anger._  
  
“I hope you reconsider your position, O'Klein. You've already cost us one precious specimen.” Delgado's voice sounded like venom, making his ears bleed with every word.  
  
_Fury._

Delgado had walked up to his side, grasping his shoulder in warning. “I'm giving you one more chance; bring the Otromorph to me, and I'll consider a peaceful lifestyle for your future to come.”

_Kill._

Arius felt his fingers twitch as he rose to his feet. The was an urge, a need to make something... someone bleed.

_Revenge._

He snapped.

Arius himself couldn't see it coming. His limbs felt possessed as they moved on their own accord. He abandoned what's left of Spike and threw himself at Delgado with a hysterical screech, inhuman and defeaning. He pounced on the scientist, catching him off guard and plundered him to the ground. He grappled and buried nails into skin. The other man was shouting, trying to throw off the smaller male.  
  
“Get him off!” Delgado was yelling. The soldiers were frantic, proceeding with they were ordered to. But Arius had been relentless, inflicting massive damage within seconds. Blood was staining the underside of his nails, but he didn't care. When he felt hands trying to grab him, he sank the nails of both hands around Delgado's neck, forcing the wind out of him.  
  
Nothing else mattered to him besides killing Delgado. It hadn't mattered if the soldiers were considering shooting him there and then, their hesitance probably because they needed him alive. They hesitated, but he wasn't going to. He'll do what it takes to ensure that his child, his only hope, would survive.

He'd do whatever it takes-

 _Bang._  
  
A gunfire.

A sharp gasp, and a violent twitch.

Arius froze as his mind registered a sharp pain from his ribs. Releasing a shaky hand, he reached to his side, the sensation of warm moisture trickling between his digits. He had never gotten shot before; was it supposed to feel this numbing, instead of pain?

He could feel his breathing turn uneven, choking when he found himself unable to breathe properly. Liquid rapidly invaded his lungs and he coughed in attempt to get them working right.  


Delgado was left howling in pain as splattered acid started to burn the side of his face, right where the cheek bone was. He knew better than to touch it with his bare hands, and he shoved the figure going into shock away from him.

Arius collapsed on his side, barely able to focus his pseudo-vision at the figures before him. There were other people, but he couldn't tell who they were. Everything started to turn black, just like the ebony of his Xenomorph's skin...

* * *

  
  
“Sture Rolandsson”, Delgado wheezed out as the Weyland medical team worked on him. They applied an alkaline cream to cease the acidic burns, but there was a high chance of a permanent scarring; a reminder of what had happened on that day.

“I rushed down as soon as one of the representatives contacted me about the potential infiltration of XH-022. It seems like I was too late in securing the specimen.”

“You fool! You killed O'Klein; he was just as important! He was the one who birthed the Otromorph!” The scientist was yelling in anger, pointing at the deceased brunette next to him. “Now, we've lost all chance of retrieving the Otromorph because of you!”

Sture remained calm, unbothered by the accusation. He knelt beside Arius' body, brushing away the hair to reveal the face of the man he had just shot. True enough, it was Arius O'Klein, and in his desperation to save another important figure, he had just killed the second specimen.

Such a shame.

“My intel has informed me that the Otromorph is with Henderson. He intends to take it back to his home.”  
  
“Well, what are you waiting for, then? Get it back!”  
  
“Let Henderson keep it,” Sture interrupted. “He can do his part by bringing up the Otromorph. Perhaps teach it in ways we, who have such objective aims, cannot. We have other matters which we can attend to, first, before bringing the Otromorph onto the picture.”

“You're asking me to leave one of the most important, potential asset of our research in the hands of an incompetent, treasoning soldier,” Delgado growled out. For Sture, it was a comical sight to see a man whose face was half-mummified try to seem intimidating.  
  
“Our potential collaboration chance is still open for discussion, Delgado. Of all scientists out there, you have been renowned to be the most knowlegeable, and successful in capturing, the Xenomorph species. We have a new base set up in Canton space, LV-808. There is a thriving hive there, and we are in midst of securing it. We have... a unique research going on there, and we would very much welcome you to join us.”

“What is it about,” Delgado gruffed out as he stood on his feet. He was still clearly upset and disappointed with the entire ordeal of having to let the Otromorph go.

Sture smiled, glad that the scientist was interested. He held a hand out, and his secretary next to him immediately placed a tablet in it. “You have the expertise on the Xenomorphs; Weyland has the man power on... _resources_. If we wish to progress in a desirable direction, don't you believe we've been prioritising some things wrongly?” He let the question linger as he navigated through files and data. When he found the right one, he showed it to Delgado.  
  
Delgado eyed the tablet that was showing an array of photos and data. The heading read ' _Project Janus_ '.

“So, don't you think it's about time we created our _own_ species?”

The scientist paused at the general's question. He pondered for a moment as he digested the words.

“What exactly are you trying to get at?”

“We've been so bent on trying to capture the Xenomorph species that we're forgetting evolution and its place. With what you've gathered thus far, I'm sure that your research would be highly useful in a collaboration.”

“Hm...” Deglado's eyes wandered, stopping at the sight of Sture's men dealing with the two corpses. They were delicately handled. It was an upsetting sight to see two wonderful specimens gone, and the last living one untouchable for years to come. There was only so much he'd be able to before he landed with something interesting enough.

“Fine. When do we leave?”

 

* * *

* * *

Sorry, I couldn't add this part into the end notes due to the space constraint. 

Hope fun facts (they're quite jumbled timeline-wise, sorry):

Arius' blindness is due to neonatal Retinoblastoma

Arius' 'messages' to Spike are interpreted better with physical contact. Whilst not understanding word-for-word, Spike reads gestures and emotions, and more specifically intention. For example, when Arius was in the neighbouring room and told Spike to leave him, he was calm. This made Spike settle. On the other end of the spectrum, when Arius told him to 'kill', what Spikes receive is anger and hatred that drives him to in turn become aggressive. Spike's actions are in complete response to Arius', and he acts accordingly. When Arius ordered Spike to find the Otro, he was in the state of 'yearning', to which Spike could easily translate a need for retrieval.

Vocally, Spike does not understand words either; he recognises them as sounds. Like think about it: your name is just a sound, too, and you are conditioned to respond to it due to repetitive exposure. In a manner, another reason to why Spike may not have killed Oakley is because of the human's acknowledgement to his being as a figure that Arius sees him (ie. not an enemy)

Spike and the Otromorph are also mentally connected, but not as much due to his mixed blood. It's actually less than the same level as between Arius and himself. The closer they are physically, the more 'connected' they would be. At this infant age, the Otro also seeks its birth parent more, and you'll probably find it a funny tidbit that he actually doesn't recognise Spike as a parent, but a drone.

The meeting between Spike and Oakley was inspired by Alien 2; the Queen was intelligent enough to see what Ripley was going to do that could threaten her brood. I don't see why Spike wouldn't be smart enough to see Oakley in the same light, and potentially spare him in exchange. Of course, we can return to the 'name' fun fact.

Spike always takes Arius' orders as priority. As what Arius said in the med bay in reply to Oakley, 'kill' was actually specifically an order directed at Delgado. Hence, his coincidental appearance in Delgado's office. On this note, Spike by then does not see Oakley as a threat, and this was obviously affirmed by the soldier not shooting the alien despite being at point blank range. On another scale, Spike would definitely have not hesitated killing Oakley if he pulled the trigger or acted in any manner that seemed threatening. Luckily our soldier boy survived, huh? :> 

Oakley's affection for Arius is completely friendship-platonic. Arius too, treasures him as a friend and nothing more. Arius does not love Spike per say, but grew to have a dependency on the alien

Background story of Arius: He wasn't heavily bullied, but was definitely ostracized for being able to read others easily. He'd get into trouble because he would tell adults [whoever] was lying etc. As he grew, he knew when to use his gift for more appropriate situations. His other job that he would've taken up was a childcare teacher, but his visual disability disallowed him to.

I feel kinda bad randomly introducing the Alpha squad. perhaps I should've made their appearance a little early. So far, only Jim Lake (who was Arius' 2nd escort) had made a prior appearance. Jim prefers penne but Arius likes linguine. expect more of them, of course

If you'd like to know in detail how the Scout's unique reproduction work, here: After mating, the insemination extracts DNA from the host via cell bodies. It takes a while for the host's body not to reject the cells as a foreign body (like blood transfusion), and once stabilised a pseudo-womb is formed. Depending on the species of the host, it may range between hours to months, depending on the complexity of the DNA reflex (Face-huggers implant an egg which is already stabilised).

Because Arius is human, to which Xenomorphs have 'evolved' from (Source: Aliens Covenant), the gestation is relatively short ~24 hours. For a healthy alien queen, it can be as short as 9 hours because a DNA reflex is not required. Gestation also causes a reverse-DNA reflex where the host also takes in Xenomorph DNA in order to accommodate the foreign body, and sometimes may adapt lesser traits of the Xenomorph species. Again, because Arius is human, he gains these traits quite rapidly and evidently

fun fact: he would not actually transform into a queen; sorry to disappoint! That said, he can still be constantly impregnated by Spike. In fact, he would be used a breeder instead of a host. It would still put him as one of the higher ranks in a nest, though. If everything is optimum, Arius would probably be able to conceive once or twice a month.

For obvious safety reasons, the placental fluids are highly alkaline that counters the potential acidity of the infant's blood. It is possibly one of the few materials that would not succumb to the acidity of the Xenomorph blood. On this note, it is relatively similar to the slime the Xenomorphs produce, hypothesized to be a defense mechanism against their own blood. The entire placental sac is being delivered out.

I still can't quite fully explain the physiology behind Arius' 'sight'. Researching about, there are two speculations to how Xenomorphs see: one, they actually do have eyes, but it is hidden by the dome. A strong support to this statement is the presence of prominent eye sockets when you see figurines with a translucent dome. But that said, there is no evidence of eyeballs, and the only creature that has been proven to actually have them is the Newborn in Resurrection. The second speculation to how a Xenomorph can see is using echolocation like bats and dolphins. However, it might be a variation of it. I an quite favourable to the idea of a distorted echolocation skill, considering Xenos are relatively vocal, constantly hissing or growling. At this point, I've adapted Covenant's manner of expressing the Xenomorph's vision in my story. Another factor which made me prefer supporting the idea that Xenos can see is a little widget of a VR I got to mess around with during an official Covenant booth. For the viewer, it was pretty obvious to what you're looking at, but they're sort of still fuzzy and unfocused.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi not sorry. It was planned all along, sorry to break your hearts :'). On that note, here's some tidbits before we move on. If you have any further questions, I will answer them in the Epilogue. Thank you for your support thus far, and I greatly appreciate that you've all followed me on this unintentional, whimsical story.


	13. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wouldn't really consider this an Epilogue, but more of an ending (or the starting of?) Hope, and an introduction to the sequel.

Lina has always been a lady who was prepared. Like her mother, she was acceptant of the fate that the men in her household was bleak. There was an unsettling trend of them serving the military, one form or another, but regardless they would be subjected to the dangers of the unknown.

Her father had been lucky to serve his years til the end. It was his stories that drove young Oakley to follow the very footsteps. Lina's husband; Oakley's father, had not been so lucky, but it was not something brought up after a letter and folded flag was placed on the counter above the fireplace.

Undoubtedly, Lina was proud of them. Sad, but proud. 'To die serving our country is the best feeling as the light fades', was what her great grandparent had apparently passed down. It seemed to be a family motto, and Oakley adopted it as well. Nothing changed; nothing will.

Not until the day her son had return home with a small bundle in his arms. They way he held it was much too familiar, and she was by his side in a heartbreak. He let her take the tiny body of a baby.

The moment his mother threw him a questioning (and accusing) glance, he cut in.

"He's not mine." The firm voice made her believe it instantly. "It's... complicated. Do you remember who Arius was? The blind kid from my university days?"

Lina felt her heart sink even though she knew nothing else. She remembered Arius, though the same could no be said for his last name. He was a chestnut brunette whose eyes never opened, but the same cannot be said for his heart. Despite his disability, his compassion never wavered.

"How could I ever forget the sweet boy who brought me flowers when he came over," Lina sighed out.

Oakley visibly swallowed, as if it would clear the tension that swelled in his throat.

"This child belongs to him. The other parent is also... gone."

Lina held the orphan close to her body, peering down at his sleeping face. As a nurse in her early days, she has helped with the delivery of many, many children. The baby she held was small, but not in any way unusual. Some milk and he'll be well.

"One more thing," Oakley started in a mildly quieter tone. Lina recognised it as one used for sensitive information and drew closer to her son.

"This is a warning I need you to listen and understand carefully. He's not human. On the outlook he is, but we cannot tell how he'd turn out to be. So, if there comes a day he starts to be less human, you know what you have to do."

Lina tightened her jaw, gaze fixed on the young child who currently wasn't even fit to hurt a fly. Not yet, anyway, if Oakley had made his existence sound potentially dangerous.

"I'll do what I can. A child's upbringing shapes them. Perhaps he will grow up to think otherwise."

* * *

Through some connections and under-handed means, Hope became part of the Henderson family. He has a grandma, Lina Auguste Henderson, and a father, Oakley Henderson. Lina took care of him mostly, and hired him private tutors to avoid the public eye as much as possible. He grew up fine regardless, like any normal child would.

When he was around six, Lina noticed that his coccygeal bone was lengthening. His spinous processes were also jutting out more prominently, which forced the boy to sleep on his sides or tummy. She got him the softest bed she could find in the market. But besides his deviation in physical looks, he was functioning perfectly like any other children in cognition. Hope Henderson was a chestnut brunette, a near replica of his true parent, and his eyes glinted with an unusual ashen blue.

Curious, playful, and a little nosy perhaps, but good and generally well-behaved. He hardly created a fuss, never turned violent or broke things, never complained. The only bizarre thing that Lina found was that Hope would stare into space for an unusually long period of time. When questioned, Hope would simply reply that he could hear 'something'.

Oakley said that Hope may have a remnants of Arius' empathic abilities. But hearing the underlying concern in her son's voice, Lina knew that there was more to it. To what it may be, she did not know, nor would she ask as some things were better left unknown.

The Commander of Espera Military Base loved Hope as a father would. When he came back on the weekends, he'd shower Hope with all the attention he could give - take him out for meals, play catch, or any other activities within limits. He had even taught Hope a few defensive maneuvers to protect himself when he was older.

Lina's only fear was that the family trend pursued even without blood ties. To her relief, Hope happily declared that he wanted to build 'electronic stuff', as the physics and mechanisms of such had him entertained. She should have guessed it, considering he enjoyed dismantling toys and re-assembling them back together.

Everything seemed perfect then.

Until one day, Oakley didn't come home.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 1 to Otromorph is officially complete. We shall now move on to the next part "Hope: Resurgence". I hope you're looking forward to it, because we're traveling to Canton Space, LV-808 :) Y'know what? It will never be the last of the Xenomorphs. 
> 
> I thank you for joining me in this story from the bottom of my heart. You guys are the best! Do bookmark the Otromorph series so that you'll be notified of the update when it comes out!


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